Page 15 of Traveling with Gentlemen
"Who is she and why has she invited us to a party?" I asked, twisting to look up at Amon.
"Sofia de Vologda is one of the oldest vampires on record. She was set to be executed for murder when she escaped and found her way into the company of a vampire too dazzled by her beauty to realize what anasphe was taking in. He went missing within the first hundred years of her second life, and I've no doubt she's responsible. She is vicious, vindictive, covetous, powerful, and possibly out of her mind," Auguste announced. "For a brief period of time she actively sought to eliminate any vampire not of her family tree. Rumor is she grew bored of the effort, but she nearly decimated the ancient population."
"And she's a countess?" I asked.
"She hypnotized some Russian count into taking her in," Auguste supplied with a wave of his hand. "Led a reign of terror there. That's when she rose in infamy amongst my kind. And adopted that ridiculous title. No one knows her real name."
Ezra's eyebrows shot up. "You didn't mention any of this," he said to Amon.
"I wasn't expecting word of our search to reach her," Amon admitted. "But she claims to have the information we seek."
Auguste's head shook slowly. "If she has it, so does someone else, someone less likely to kill us all on a whim."
"She can't kill me," Amon said, and Auguste glared at him. "She won't act against me. We are safe."
I slipped free of Amon's arms, stepping back to the wall so I could see all of my gentlemen at once.
"Mr. Tanner would be safe," Jonathon murmured. "I can put my work aside and join you."
"The invitation is for all of us," Amon said. Auguste's arms crossed over his chest, a breath huffing from his lips.
Ezra he moved to join me, his shoulder to mine. "She mentions each of us by name. Including Esther."
I straightened, and Amon's lips pressed flat as Auguste let out a rough bark of unamused laughter.
"Then it's a trap," Auguste said.
"It's a flex of power on her part, nothing more," Amon said, waving a hand. "Proof of her reach."
"Is it a bluff?" I asked, and all the eyes turned in my direction. I stared back at Amon. "Is she bluffing?"
"Esther, you can't go. It won't be safe," Auguste whispered.
"I don't believe so. She is an influential figure, and a contemporary to Birsha," Amon said. He frowned and nodded to Auguste. "I'm inclined to agree, though. It won't be safe, and there may be other opportunities for us to obtain the information."
"But it's been months already," I said, and Amon sighed and nodded. "And it could be months or more before we have another chance, and who knows where that will come from."
"Esther," Auguste pleaded.
I squeezed Ezra's hand at my side, and he answered in kind until I pushed off the wall and crossed to my vampire.
"And I know that no matter what happens, what danger we face, what kind of insane countess vampire we meet, not one of you would ever let anything happen to me," I said.
Auguste groaned and leaned forward, pressing his face into my stomach. I stroked my fingers through his hair as he breathed deeply, tasting me as a way to soothe himself.
"You're right," Jonathon said, nodding. "I will attend as Mr. Tanner. All of us will remain at your side for every moment."
"I'll remain invisible, better to keep an eye on those watching us," Ezra offered.
"You have our protection, as well as all sphinx-kind's," Amon said, bowing his head to me.
Auguste growled and pulled away, glaring up at me. "I'm going to give you lessons on vampires—on Sofia in particular—you will absolutely never meet her eyes, mon coeur, do you promise?"
I sank to my knees and Auguste pressed his forehead to mine as I nodded. "I promise, my love."
"It will be an adventure," Booker declared, and I thought I heard Auguste's fangs grinding in response.
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