Page 58 of Obsessed in Blood
Colantha studied me for a while, and I found it almost as unnerving as one of Lorenzo’s mesmerizing stares. It didn’t last long, and she sat back, seeming comfortable with whatever she saw. “Ginger has been telling us how the two of you came to be part of House Trelane.”
“I thought I shared that with the two of you before.” I found a clean mug and lifted the urn, pouring out the last dregs that gave me half a cup.
Colantha snickered and picked at the sweatshirt she wore over leggings. Not the clothing I would have expected from the prim and proper lady from New Orleans. But everyone had to let their hair down occasionally. “I have to say, Ginger tells a more engaging story.”
Ginger beamed, and I raised my mug in salute. Colantha wasn’t wrong.
I gave Lyra the same studied review Colantha had given me. She looked tired, and I doubted she’d gotten any sleep. Vamps didn’t need to sleep, but it increased how frequently they required blood. She would need a donor soon, and if she didn’t request one herself, I’d have to squeal to Devon. He would be keeping an eye on her, but with a new mission underway, it could slip his attention.
“I was hoping you could tell us more about your time on the island.” Lyra’s gaze was hopeful, and while I’d known this was coming, she wouldn’t get the answers she sought.
Lyra wouldn’t be the only one who’d want to hear it again with more detail. Devon was most likely in his office with his faithful cadre around him, reviewing my tale. I didn’t begrudge his time with the cadre. They were his guards, his sounding board, and his friends. Devon was a man of action when the time came, but he was primarily a strategist. He wouldn’t allow his emotions to force an unwise move. He’d been after Lorenzo for too long, and I’d come to learn that Devon was a patient vamp. That in itself would drive Lorenzo crazy as he waited for Devon’s next chess move.
I took in a deep breath, ready to share what little more I could provide when a knock interrupted me.
“Come,” Lyra called, though she’d barely raised her voice.
The door opened, and Cook waltzed in with a tray. It was unusual for him to leave the kitchen except for the occasional stop in the dining room to bring a special entree. My gaze fixed on the coffee urn, but the scent of fresh food brought another growl from my stomach.
His eyes shined with amusement when he caught my singular focus. “It’s so good to have our Cressa back with us. I thought you could use something special from the kitchen.”
I grinned and drained my mug, jonesing for a fresh cup. “You know me too well. And you’ve already fed this crowd once.”
He set the tray down while Frederick brought in a fresh teapot. The vamp set the pot down in front of Lyra and picked up the soiled dishes, giving Cook space to unload four fresh place settings and several plates with silver domes. He lifted the lids, and my eyes glazed over. Blueberry scones, scrambled eggs, and bacon for me. The other plates were a mix of crab rolls, a selection of finger sandwiches, and strawberry tarts with dollops of whipped cream, no doubt freshly made. He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I patted it.
I blinked back tears. “Thank you, Cook. This means a great deal to me.”
He squeezed my shoulder and, after giving a small bow to Lyra, scurried from the room.
“He missed you.” Lyra poured a fresh cup of tea and took a finger sandwich, nibbling the edge.
“Well, I can’t tell you how much I missed all of you.” I filled my mug and, in between bites of food, told them everything I could remember of my time on the island.
The moments of Lorenzo’s mesmerizing were the most difficult to share, but Colantha felt it was important to understand how it was done, and I couldn’t disagree. Though it was a definite weakness, Colantha thought I’d been building an immunity to it from the start. It began with the tiny moments of odd images that were superimposed over reality. The first one that came to mind, which almost made me laugh, was when I’d walked into Lorenzo’s kitchen expecting the immense coffee urn that Cook always kept filled. And while Lorenzo had a strong hold over me while he was mesmerizing me, it began to dissolve as soon as he was out of sight.
“Did Hamilton only reach out that once?” Lyra’s voice cracked a bit, but she remained calm.
I bit into the blueberry scone, closed my eyes for a second as I recalled the headaches, then shook my head. “I remember at least one other attempt, maybe it was two, but they weren’t nearly as clear as the last one.”
“I want to try reaching out to him myself.” Colantha caressed her medallion in what appeared to be a reflexive action. “It can be tricky when it’s a dreamwalker I don’t know in a place I’m unfamiliar with. From what you’ve shared, I don’t believe he built a construct. It sounds like he brought you to his exact location. Whether that was on purpose to prove he was a prisoner or because he’s too weak to do anything more than that, I can’t tell you.
“I can bring him to one of my constructs with you as a conduit. He recognizes you as a fellow dreamwalker. While I’m much stronger, he might not be as willing to come to me.”
“I want to be included in that attempt.” Lyra straightened; her stubbornness was taking the lead on this. “I might not be able to call to him like you can, but I think he’d be more comfortable if I was there.”
I wanted to protect her, worried about how much she could take. “He might not want you to see him in his current state. He seemed distraught when he saw you in the last dreamwalk.”
“I understand your concern, but I’ve been seeing him for decades. Sometimes glimpses, sometimes more. Years of torture, pain, and lost hope. I want him to know that I still believe in him.” Lyra’s words were defiant, but then she crumbled. “That I still love him.”
Colantha rubbed Lyra’s back. “He knows that. Otherwise, he wouldn’t continue his attempts to reach you.”
“I’m sorry, Lyra.” Sometimes, I said the most awkward things. “Of course, you love him, and I believe he knows that. You can’t blame me for worrying about you.”
She took the tissue Colantha handed her and blew her nose. “I know. I’m trying to be strong, but every time I think about how long he’s been there, I get so angry.”
“That brings up something I’d like to know.” I turned to Colantha, who conveniently glanced away. “Exactly how long do dreamwalkers live?”
Colantha reached for a strawberry tart, licking the whipped cream off with her tongue before eating the bite-sized morsel. After taking her time to relish the taste, she gave me a mischievous smile. I returned it with one of my own. The woman still scared me at times, but there was no way she was leaving this room without answering. Her two vamps wouldn’t be enough to block me from getting answers. I was confident Lyra could keep them at bay.
