A cold feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as Marguerite looked up at the house again. Eleni had no idea why she was telling her any of this. To upset her? Perhaps even to frighten her? If so, her ploy was working.
“From the look of it now, you can hardly tell it ever burned. The newer stone is slightly a different shade, but then again, weathering could have done the same.” She shrugged. “No one in the village remembers much, I think. Historians, perhaps, but who are they? I supposed the house knows. It’s a shame jealousy led to so much destruction, no?”
Eleni shook her head. “I-I don’t know what to say…”
“There is nothing to say. It simply is, and I thought you needed to know. Now, I should be going.” She reached out and squeezed Eleni’s hand. “I hope you do not take any of this the wrong way. I do like you, Eleni. Very much. You remind me of myself when I was young and worried about my status in life. That’s why I’m going to warn you to watch out for Gisele. She is an ambitious girl, and men, even dear Julian, are not always capable of seeing the dark heart beneath a beautiful surface. I would be very sad to see history repeat itself.”
Without another word, Marguerite got in her car, casting a brief smile at Eleni before she closed the door. Eleni stood frozen, staring as the vampiress cranked the car, turned on her lights, then pulled out of the driveway, the tires crunching over the loose gravel.
Eleni followed the red glow of the taillights until they disappeared from sight.
Chilled by Marguerite’s warning, she wrapped her arms around herself and walked back into the house.
Chapter Ten
Eleni locked the front door and hung up the coat she’d worn to walk Marguerite to her car. The house seemed quiet now, almost empty in her absence. One certainly couldn’t say that Marguerite wasn’t vivacious. Her personality could fill a room.
Even so, Eleni wished Marguerite hadn’t told her about the origin of the fire—about the deaths. Aside from the fact that Julian had been badly burned, she hadn’t known much more than what Dominic had told her, and he hadn’t mentioned there had been so many victims. She had automatically assumed he had been alone in the house when the blaze started. Of course, thinking on it now, that didn’t seem plausible. There would have been at least a dozen staff members to support such a large household, and then there were the Acolytes themselves.
She shivered at the thought of a fire spreading through the premiere suite. How many women had died there, trapped in that room? Eleni gave herself a mental shake. The deaths of Julian’s former protégés were too much to think about. What a terrible tragedy. She prayed silently they had not suffered. It frightened her to think of those poor women being engulfed in flames. No wonder Julian ruled his household as he did. Why he demanded there be no secrets, no locked doors. She understood it now; she couldn’t blame him now that she knew the truth.
She headed back toward the small parlor to meet up with Julian. Earlier, he had talked about spending the early morning hours together in his suite, on the rug in front of the fireplace, just the two of them. Desperate for a distraction, she sought him out, planning to take him up on his offer. If he would take her, she wanted to go right now.
Tracing her fingers along the polished woodwork as she walked down the hallway, she looked down at her shoes as she rounded the corner into the small parlor where she had last seen him.
“Julian, I—” Eleni froze in the doorway when she realized that he wasn’t in the room. Bent over the coffee table, picking up everyone’s wineglasses and putting them on the tray, Gisele looked up at the sound of her voice. At once, her expression grew cold. She stood straight, her eyes bright and angry.
“What do
you
want?”
Her tone gave Eleni pause. “Sorry, I thought Julian was still in here.”
“If he was still here, do you think I’d be carrying dishes?” She tossed the rag down on the silver tray and turned to face Eleni then, her hands clenched into fists at her side. “You know something? You’re just like her—Marguerite. So full of yourself…you both make me ill.”
Eleni’s brows shot up. She wasn’t used to dealing with such open hostility. The women in her former harem had been very discreet, even more so with their gossip. Then again, she had to remind herself Gisele wasn’t an Acolyte. “I’ve done nothing to you,” she warned the girl. “If you have a problem with Marguerite, I suggest you take it up with her.”
She turned to leave the room, but Gisele’s loud scoff stopped her.
“You think I don’t see right through you?” Gisele snapped.
Eleni glanced back, and Gisele glared at her in disdain.
“You think I can’t tell that you don’t want me here?” The beautiful face narrowed into a sly expression that dared Eleni to deny it. She couldn’t. Although she had never put it to actual thought before this moment, life would be so much easier if Gisele was not in the house.
Eleni straightened. “You said it, I didn’t.”
“You didn’t have to say it. It’s obvious just by looking at you.”
A smug smile crossed Gisele’s face. Tossing her hair back, she took two steps forward, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. It didn’t take much to see Gisele wanted to hit her. Eleni’s heart rate kicked up a notch. She didn’t know what the girl intended to do, but she braced herself for a possible fight.
“I suppose you found Marguerite’s attack on me terribly amusing.”
Attack on her? Eleni frowned. “I’m not Marguerite. Besides, Julian defended you.”
“Of course he did,” Gisele snapped at her. “How else would he react? Julian cares for me.”
Eleni’s brows shot up. “Is that so unusual? It seems to me Julian cares for everyone he considers his responsibility.”
Gisele’s breathing quickened, and her face became a mask of barely restrained fury. Her jaw clenched tight, and she took a step forward and jabbed a finger at Eleni. “You have no idea what I’m capable of,” she growled under her breath. “Stay out of my way, you little bitch, or I will make you regret ever setting foot in this house.”
She went back to the table and snatched up the tray with the wine glasses. If Eleni hadn’t moved out of the way, Gisele would have bumped her with the tray when she stormed out of the room.
Alone in the silence of the room, Eleni took a deep breath and laid a hand against her forehead in an effort to calm her jangling nerves. She didn’t know what she was going to do about Gisele. She didn’t want to complain to Julian, but how would she ever find peace in his household if the girl insisted on warring with her again and again?
* * * * *
A deep frown etched Julian’s brow as he paced in front of the fireplace in his office. It seemed childish to be so grossly annoyed at Marguerite, but he couldn’t help himself. One glance at his cousin told him everything. There was no mistaking the attraction he saw in her eyes. So far, she had kept a friendly distance, but tonight he found himself on guard, analyzing her every word.
Never mind how many times had he entertained a woman from Marguerite’s harem, Eleni was different. There was more to be had than the pleasure her body promised. She had a reserved yet vulnerable quality about her. It was almost as if she had judged the world and now held it at a distance, but at the same time, she was neither aloof nor cynical. Her complexity drew him to her more than she probably realized. It troubled him that Marguerite seemed attuned to it also.
He glanced at the large wall clock and decided they had been outside talking for close to twenty minutes. Raking a hand through his hair, he paced. He made it a point not to run to the security feeds to check up on them. He relied on that too much already, and there was no excuse for it. At every turn, Eleni had proven sensitive to his needs, and he wanted to give her space. But, at the same time, he didn’t like the idea of her being alone with Marguerite, which was funny because it had never bothered him with any of his Acolytes in the past. It shouldn’t have mattered now, but he got the distinct impression that if he hadn’t favored Eleni upon her arrival, Marguerite would have been more than willing to take her off his hands.
Tired of waiting, Julian left his office to tell her to come inside. If Marguerite wanted company, she could find it with her own protégés. He walked down the corridor, his eyes on the front door, but as he came into the entryway, he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. Eleni walked out of the small parlor. She had her arms wrapped around her as if she were cold.
A fierce sense of protectiveness flared inside him. Thinking of nothing but her comfort, Julian started toward her, reaching her in three long strides.
“What’s wrong? You look shaken.”
Eleni jumped at the authoritative sound in Julian’s voice. She’d been so lost in thought she hadn’t realized he was near. It was a relief to see him striding toward her, and she had to stop herself from throwing her arms around his neck when he was at last close enough to touch.
He cupped the sides of her face and smoothed back her hair, his frown deepening. “It’s something Marguerite said to you, isn’t it?” His eyes were furious.
She shook her head gently. “No, it’s nothing like that.” She laid her hands over his and drew them down, kissing the back of first one hand then the other, a gesture of proof. “Really, I’m fine. A little tired, is all.” That much was true.
“You’re sure?” Concern glittered in his pale eyes. “It’s not your Biter’s Addiction, is it? We’ve been careless lately. I bit you just yesterday. Perhaps it is too much, too soon. Tell me what to do and—”
“No.” Eleni shook her head, her face hot with embarrassment to hear him speak of her illness in such a way. It’s was the last thing she’d expected to hear from him. “It’s not that. I promise, it isn’t.”
“Tell me, then. What’s the matter?”
She let out a deep sigh, and confessed. “Gisele is upset. Marguerite rattled her, I think. I went into the parlor and she was very angry with me.”
He frowned. “Not possible…” he said in a voice that was both rumbling and tense. He picked up her hand and took a step back, drawing her away from the wall with him. “Gisele can be defensive, but I assure you, she is not angry with you. I was there. You did nothing, and you should know Gisele and Marguerite have a long standing feud between them. There’s nothing either of us can do about it, so it’s best to let it be.”
She didn’t doubt his claim that there was a feud between the two women, but Eleni knew for certain Gisele disliked her, if for no other reason than having caught her unawares that morning raiding her wardrobe. Even so, Eleni wasn’t about to argue with him. He gave her a gentle tug, and she stood away from the wall.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To my office, where no one will disturb us. I have a fire going and a bottle of wine on ice. A brand new Sévigné white I am considering for distribution. I want you to share it with me.”
Secretly relieved that her job as hostess was over for the evening, a glass of wine and Julian’s full attention sounded heavenly. She took his hand without protest and allowed him to guide her back to his office.
Chapter Eleven
Two nights after Marguerite’s unexpected visit, Julian wandered into the solarium where Eleni stretched out on her favorite wicker lounge chair surrounded by palm leaves and was flipping through a magazine. He had been quiet, almost reserved since Marguerite’s visit, but Eleni didn’t press him for a reason. If she had learned anything since joining his household, it was that Julian was a private person. She knew he wouldn’t tell her what was on his mind unless he knew of a way to fix the problem immediately.
It was a little after ten o’clock, but he sat down with a heavy sigh in one of the chairs across from her.
“You look tired,” she commented, eyeing him over the rim of her glasses.
“I feel tired.”
Eleni chuckled.
“You don’t feel sorry for me at all, do you?” He folded his arms behind his head and regarded her with an almost petulant expression.
Stifling a smile, she tapped her index finger against her tongue and turned yet another page. “Not the least little bit.”
He scoffed. “You’re shameless,
chére
. Absolutely heartless. Especially since it is your fault I’ve been getting so little sleep.” He leaned forward and captured the edge of her magazine and dragged it away.
“Now who’s heartless?” Eleni teased. “I was reading that.”
The devilish man tossed her magazine aside as if daring her to do something about it. Then he reached out and caught her hand, pulling her off the lounger. She crawled onto his lap, straddling him, and Julian locked his arms around her and gripped her bottom, urging her to grind against him. “I’m finished with my work for the night, so I was thinking maybe you’d want to go upstairs and get dressed.”
“Don’t you mean get undressed?” She kissed his forehead, then the side of his neck.
“Mm, I suppose you could do that. But I’m not so sure they would let you into Chez Gerard…although with your delicious body, I could be mistaken.”
She pulled back and looked at him. “Chez Gerard? You’re taking me to dinner?”
“I thought about it, yes.” A wicked light came into his eyes. “Is that so strange?”
“You have to ask?” Eleni laughed softly. “You rarely go anywhere.”
He shrugged. “Only because I am usually so busy—but not tonight. I’ve made an exception and cleared my schedule. It will do us both some good to have a break, don’t you think? I know it will benefit me,” he drawled. “I’ve thought of nothing but you since I awakened.” He distracted himself with the gap of her shirt. She sighed in contentment when he unfastened one of her buttons and nuzzled her breasts, kissing them before scraping his fangs playfully against a tender curve.
After a moment, he growled low in his chest and swatted her on the bottom. “Unless you want to spend the evening in bed, you best stop teasing me.” His words sent a small thrill through her.
“Oh, all right,” she said on sigh. “If you insist.” Eleni bit back a grin as she slithered off his lap, making it a point to rub herself against his erection.