“I’m not wrong,” I murmured. “I wish I could explain it. I just know.”
“That he’s not going to dump you in Paris?” she asked flatly. “That he’s not going to hurt you?”
A chill ran up my spine like an icy fingertip, but I forced a smile. “You’ve got to trust me. I know what I’m doing.” I bumped my shoulder against hers. “I’m still the same Thea who thinks everything through before she does it. I’m just a little more...”
“Slutty?” she offered, unable to hide her grin.
My own mouth twisted in bemusement. “I was going to say worldly.”
“Fine.” She stood up and pointed to my phone. “Now call your mom.”
“I will.”
She peeked into the bag on the floor. “You aren’t going to Paris with a billionaire and wearing this stuff, right?”
I leaned down and zipped it close. “Thanks for the tip.”
“Of course, you’ll probably be naked the whole time.” She clutched her chest dramatically. “Who needs clothes?”
I wished that were true. Then again, after getting a taste of how vampires socialized, she might be right. I made a mental note to ask Julian exactly what I needed to pack again.
“What time do you leave?”
“He’s picking me up in the morning,” I told her.
“Okay, let me get a hug now.” She threw her arms around me with the passion of someone saying goodbye for much longer than a week or two. “Don’t get kidnapped or murdered. And whatever you do, don’t get pregnant!”
“I won’t!” I said, laughing.
She shot me a look as she pulled away. “I’m serious. No glove, no love.”
“Promise,” I said. If Olivia only knew the truth...
Maybe I was crazy. Maybe agreeing to drop everything and get on a plane to Paris was a bad idea. But at least I didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
JULIAN
It had been forty-eight hours since I last saw Thea. Not that I was counting, precisely. I hadn’t lived over nine hundred years to suddenly count the passing of hours. Yet, here I was–so what the hell was wrong with me? And, what was worse, I soon wouldn’t have her to myself, I would have to share her with all of Paris.
French vampires were notorious snobs, and I was no exception. Unlike most of the older French lines, our family had staked outposts throughout Europe, then more in America and Asia. To some of the other French vampire families this was enough to erase any notion of our shared French blood. But Paris doors were always open to the name Rousseaux. But that access also entailed social obligations. A Rousseaux was expected to accept any formal invitation.
That was the problem with having old blood. We adhered to tradition at all costs.
The same couldn’t be said for most Parisian covens.
A few who never bothered to attend social events in America did so only because they refused to leave Europe. Despite the arrogance, the season always came to them. Everyone found Paris romantic, even vampires.
Maybe that’s why they put on such a good show. This season, Paris’s scheduled events sounded even more excessive than usual, something I needed to prepare Thea for on the flight over.
I was only a few blocks from her apartment when my phone rang over the BMW’s speaker.
“Fan-fucking-tastic,” I grumbled when my father’s name flashed on the dashboard’s screen. Since he wasn’t my mother, I decided to answer.
“Yes?”
“I’m supposed to ask if you’re coming to Paris,” he said, sounding irritated to be playing the role of messenger.
“Do I have a choice?”
“And if you’re bringing the human,” he added, ignoring my question.
“Why doesn’t she ask me herself?” So far, my mother had gone through Celia, my father, and even Sebastian to relay details about the events in Paris over the next two weeks. “And why are there so many fucking parties?”
“San Francisco was unofficial,” he confessed in a lowered voice. I suspected he didn’t want my mother to overhear him saying that. “These are the first events of the season. As the eligible Rousseaux, you are ex–”
“I know,” I cut him off. I’d heard this lecture before, and I’d watched Camila sit through it when it was her turn. “Is that the reason you called? To relay her messages?”
“I guess we could confide in each other,” he said harshly, “or you could tell me about your day?”
“I’ll take it that is it,” I said, reaching to end the call.
“There’s one more thing,” he said, stopping me. There was a long pause, which meant he was about to deliver bad news. “There is an event Thea will need to attend. It’s private–”
“Put her on the phone,” I interrupted him.
He paused as if considering my request before finally caving. “Give me a moment.”
