Broken (The Captive #5.5)(76)
Anna stared at him last night as if he were about to launch himself at her, but he didn't even bother to touch her as she stood ringing her hands and trembling by the bed. Her dread was the exact opposite of Genny's fervor for him; he had to fight the urge to sneer at her as she watched him pour himself some blood. He kept that disgusted part of himself suppressed though, he was growing increasingly capable of wearing a mask that the rest of the world thought was his true face.
"I've never done this…" she began to stammer.
"I understand," he interrupted briskly and downed the blood. He truly wished that alcohol still did something for him, he would be nearly passed out by now if it did. The last thing he wanted to be was completely sober when he touched her, but he no longer had that choice.
Placing the goblet down, he turned back to her. She'd taken her hair down so that the golden tresses curled around her sensuous face. The candlelight caused the chemise she wore to be see through in some areas but his gaze didn't stay on her.
He focused on the wall behind her head. "This doesn't have to happen tonight."
"It doesn't?" she squeaked eagerly.
Even the sound of her voice grated on his nerves but he managed to smile at her. The smile felt forced to him but he'd worn it often lately and they all seemed to fall for it as they always smiled back at him. "No. We can get to know each other better first."
Her shoulders slumped; relief filled her features as for the first time she smiled at him. "I would like that very much."
He wondered if it was because he was handsome that he was able to put her at ease so quickly. His pretty face hid the worms of insanity within his mind; she would have run screaming from him if she knew his inner workings. Instead, she only smiled brighter as she sat on the bed.
"I didn't know what to expect from tonight," she admitted. "Jane told me that it would hurt but that it would be over quickly."
Was she really trying to talk to him? He wondered as he poured himself some more blood. He thought he might prefer to fornicate with her rather than listen to her. There was something about her voice…
It wasn't Genny's and that was all there was to say about it, he admitted to himself. He would have felt sorry for the girl, she was merely a pawn, but there was no sympathy left within him. Not even for the innocent bystander sitting on his bed.
"I suppose you could look at it that way," he finally responded.
"I was sorry to hear about your father."
His hand tightened around the goblet, a shudder ran through him. His fangs lengthened, bloodlust stabbed through him at the reminder of his father. She couldn't know that she was poking the savage beast within, but if she continued to do so he didn't know if he could keep himself under control.
"Thank you," he managed to get out in a somewhat normal tone.
"Are we going to be staying in Italy for awhile? I've never been here before and it's beautiful."
"I think we will," he confirmed. He finished the blood and shrugged off his outer tunic. He dropped it over the back of the chair and blew out the candle on the desk before walking over to the bed. "I'd like to get some sleep; it's been a long day."
"Yes of course," she murmured.
He laid down on the bed and waited for her to settle in beside him. The scent of lilacs caused his nose to wrinkle but he kept his face impassive when she laid down beside him. She tentatively rested her hand upon his chest. Revulsion slid over his skin but he didn't shove her away like he wanted to, instead a small part of him died even more as he wrapped his hand around hers.
It's only for tonight, he reminded himself. Tomorrow she would return to the bedroom that adjoined his, and he would never have to share his bed with her again.
***
Over the next few months, he continued to play nice with his bride. He bought her presents and sat with her every night. He pretended to be interested in her conversation topics even though most of her talk of fashion and gossip amongst their peers bored him to death. It was all she knew though, this world of aristocrats, backstabbing, whispers and wealth that allowed her to lounge about during the day and dance and laugh away the night. She had no knowledge of anything outside of their world and wasn't overly concerned about anyone or anything outside of the aristocratic class.
It didn't make her a bad woman, it did make her about as interesting as a toad though.
At night, they continued to keep their distance. It was an arrangement he was more than content with and that she seemed exceptionally happy with also.
Merle married Jane a month after he married Anna. They had been sent to live in Spain by The Council to keep an eye over the vampire village there. Due to the fact that Germany and now England were off limits to vampires, the villages in the other countries had increased in size. Which also increased the vampires' risks of being discovered. The Council had ordered a higher number of nobles to keep watch and enforce the rules in these areas. They were there to make sure that another raid didn't occur, especially since no one could figure out what had triggered the humans in England.
It was the first time, since Merle had been born, that they'd been separated for more than a week. At one point he would have dreaded it, now it was a relief. He hated the way Merle watched him now, hated the sympathy and understanding he saw in his cousin's gaze. He was glad Merle was gone; it was much easier to get through the day without the constant presence of someone that had known how happy he'd been with Genny. Though his cousin thought him merely a heartbroken fool, if anyone could figure out the truth it would be Merle. If that happened, terror would replace the pity in his cousin's gaze.