Jacques chuckled, the sound clattering over my bones. It was an evil thing that set my hair on end. “We are not as uncivilised as you might believe. It would not do for all of my kind to storm the human realm at once. People would notice so many deaths. It might cause… a stir.”
I folded my arms. “Then you’re going to sneak through in pairs and just kill a few at a time?”
“My people need to feed.”
That old chestnut. “You’ve survived this long. Why kill people at all? I don’t eat meat. It doesn’t mean I don’t miss chicken nuggets; it just means I value life over my own tastebuds. You don’t need to kill people, you just want to.”
Jacques’ eerie eyes sharpened as they focused on me, his features tightening over his sharp bones. He pushed off from the tree, inching silently closer, until his breath, as fresh and cold as a winter breeze, fluttered over my face. “Yes, I want to. I have survived, as you say, but I am starving, Aliza. I am weak. I am eaten up by hunger, and yet, I cannot die. I am plagued by my want, night and day. It is endless.”
Panic tightened my throat, but not for myself. Of all the things that wanted to kill me, Jacques was the least of my concerns. I almost trusted him, as stupid as that was, but I knew his restraint would not extend beyond me. People were in danger, people would die, and it was my fault. I had broken the curse. I had opened the rifts to allow a swarm of blood-sucking monsters through to my own world. Without the superstitions of the olden days, nobody would be safe. My selfish, human desire to return home had endangered my entire world and everyone in it.
“Can you go in the sunlight?” I asked. Not that it would make any difference. The world was twenty-four hours now.
“I can, but it is uncomfortable, and harder to hide.”
“What about houses? Can you go in without permission?”
He laughed again, chilling the already cold panic rushing through my veins. “What is this? An interrogation? I must be invited.”
Relief almost had me sagging against a tree. That was something, at least. It wouldn’t stop the deaths by any means, but it was a layer of protection.
“Now it is my turn to ask a question, belle fille. How did you break the curse?”
Was this a trick? Was this sensitive information that needed protecting, or had I learnt to see danger in even the most innocent scenario? Whatever it was, my ears grew warm. “A kiss. That’s all it was in the end. There was a vision that said I’d have to give my life, but it was just one of Maelgwyn’s tricks.”
I laughed. The trials had been easy once I’d made it out of the cave. Nothing but tricks and illusions. Maelgwyn had underestimated humankind. He’d underestimated me.
Despite my cleverness, Jacques’ expression softened, something like regret dimming the glow of his eyes. He trailed a cold finger down my cheek. “Which prince did you give your life to, mon amor?”
Ice spread from his touch, coating every inch of my skin as the vision’s warning took on a new meaning. What if she hadn’t meant instant death at all? What if I’d cursed myself instead? “I didn’t. I told you, it was just a kiss.” It was, wasn’t it? Just a quick little peck. Nothing more. Nothing profound. Though, Idris would probably be only too glad to take my life after my performance in the caves.
What have you done?
“ Bien sûr. Forgive foolish Jacques. I misheard.”
My breath of relief hissed out as I smiled. It was nothing to worry about. I was still alive, wasn’t I? Idris’ unwilling kiss hadn’t been the brush of death for me, and he had saved my life. He didn’t want me dead. The vampire could keep his questions to himself if this was how it was going to be. My turn. I opened my mouth to ask about garlic and wooden stakes, but Jacques’ eyes widened, his head tilting as though listening for something I couldn’t hear. He whipped around, hissing, and leapt into the branches of a tree with the speed and agility of a cat.
“Jacques?” I squeaked, but it wasn’t him who answered.
“What are you doing out here?”
I yelped, spinning, and found Idris prowling silently in my direction, his arms full of sticks.
Oh, thank God.
The prince looked slightly dishevelled, a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes, and his shirt rumpled, though he’d washed most of the gore from his perfect face. He looked much better than I undoubtedly did.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I snapped, my frayed nerves getting the better of me. “Shouldn’t you be keeping watch?”
“I am.”
He drew level with me, and I fully expected him to pause and argue, but he walked right past me as though I was of no importance.
“That’s not what it looks like to me.” I hurried after him, keen not to be left alone in the gloomy woods now I knew Maelgwyn was after me. “I woke up to find the camp completely unprotected.”
“It was not unprotected.” His voice was flat and bored. Arrogant prick.
“Where have you been?”
“None of your concern.”
“It is my concern! When you’re supposed to be keeping us all safe and you just disappear and—”
He turned, quicker than my eyes could follow, and brought his snarling face inches from mine. I blinked, stumbling back a step. “You were safe, mortal. Now please, stop talking. It is far too early for your screeching.”
Screeching? Screeching? The cheeky bastard. He turned away and continued into camp. I followed, stomping my feet louder than was wise in enemy territory. The prince crouched and began arranging his precious sticks in the centre of the circle of tents.
“Sage said no fires,” I reminded him.
He ignored me, continuing to stack the wood just so. Irritation warred with unease.
“Somebody might see the smoke.” Maelgwyn might see, but as I couldn’t admit to my secret rendezvous with vampires, I kept that thought to myself.
“Do you ever shut up?”
The urge to march over and kick the stupid stick pile had my muscles clenching, primed for action. “I see your servants didn’t manage to teach you any manners.”
Idris ignored me, and a tiny flame appeared amongst the sticks, spreading until it was burning brightly. The prince sat back, drawing a knife. It was then I noticed three dead rabbits hung from his belt. My heart twisted in pity.
