“I can’t. She knows about our world, and she already drew some attention. It wouldn’t be safe.” It was as reasonable an excuse as any for keeping her with me.
“Compel her, buy her a small fortress in the middle of nowhere, and move on. You don’t want to tether a human.”
“I have to agree,” Sebastian interjected. “It’s never pretty.”
“Does she even know what would happen if you gave in and slept with her?”
“She knows. She went shopping with Jacqueline earlier.”
They both stared at me.
“She’s shopping with Jacqueline? No wonder half the vampires in Paris think you’re one walk away from the altar.” Benedict stood and began pacing around the room. “How did she react when she found out?”
“Not well.” It tasted sour to admit it. “It’s not like I want to tether her.”
“At least she doesn’t want to be tethered,” Sebastian said helpfully. “Only the crazy ones go for that.”
“There’s something else,” I said slowly. My brothers stopped and stared.
“At least, we know she isn’t pregnant,” Sebastian muttered.
Benedict continued, ignoring him, “What could be worse than getting involved with a virgin?”
“It’s something Jacqueline said.” I hesitated, but I couldn’t ignore what I’d already pieced together. “There’s something different about Thea.”
“That’s the blood-lust talking,” Benedict said, but I shook my head.
“No, I mean it. I can’t lie to her. I can’t compel her.”
“Impossible,” Sebastian said softly. “Maybe you were just having an off day.”
“I tried more than once,” I said bitterly. “I’ve known her a week, and if one of you tried to step between us, I’d rip your head off.”
Benedict swore under his breath. “You can’t really think…”
“She’s my mate,” I murmured. A weight lifted off my shoulders. I’d spent the last twenty-four hours telling myself the exact opposite. I might not be able to lie to Thea, but I could lie to myself. I knew that now. Just as surely as I knew Jacqueline was right.
Thea was my mate.
For a split second, joy welled inside me–warm and promising and hopeful. But just as quickly, dread replaced it.
“No,” Sebastian said. “Mating is a myth. I’ve never known anyone who actually mated.”
“She can’t be your mate,” Benedict said quietly. “Not yet. Not if you haven’t…”
“I know.” My voice sounded hollow, as if it was coming from someplace far away instead of my own throat. There was a catch. We all knew the fairy-tale stories of mating, and we all knew how the bond was sealed.
“Fuck,” Sebastian groaned. “We should have brought more Scotch.”
“Where is she tonight?” Benedict asked. I knew what he was thinking. He wanted to see us with his own eyes. He’d never been Jacqueline’s biggest fan. He probably thought she was putting ideas in my head.
“The Salon du Rouge,” I said, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Between constantly suppressing my blood-lust and my recent outburst of blood-rage, I needed something stronger than Scotch.
“What?” Sebastian spun around, bottle in hand. “Where is she?”
I repeated myself. Sebastian shook his head, worry contorting his face. It looked so out of place that it might have been comical if we weren’t talking about Thea.
“Julian, do you know what goes on there?” he asked.
“No one knows,” Benedict snapped. “That’s the point. It’s for the females only.”
“I know.” Sebastian glared. “I heard it from one of Mom’s friends.”
“Get to the point,” I said. Whatever it was couldn’t be worse than knowing Thea was my mate and that I could never have her. Not unless I let another man have her first. I couldn’t care less about some stupid party in the face of knowing that.
It turned out I was wrong.
“Julian,” Sebastian said my name like it was fragile. “She’s at the first Rite.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
THEA
This was not what I had in mind for the evening. After Sabine’s dramatic announcement, the familiars and I were ushered down an ancient stone staircase into an underground room. Its stone walls and floor lent a damp mustiness to the cold air. Ornate torches burned around the perimeter, but their flames did little to light the subterranean cavern.
“I don’t like this,” Quinn muttered next to me.
I shivered, wishing Jacqueline had given me a wrap to wear with this dress. Maybe she didn’t know about this part. Perhaps I hadn’t been paying attention when she warned me.
