A Gift of Three (A Shade of Vampire #42)(15)

“Do you think I should do something with this?” I picked up a clump of my hair.

Vita, Aida and Corrine all shook their heads.

“No,” Corrine insisted, “you look perfect.”

We all hugged Corrine, and then it was time for us to change back into our boring day-wear, go home and pack. We’d be staying overnight in Sherus’ palace—another aspect of the event I was looking forward to, especially as the three of us would all be sharing a room.

“Remember to keep the dresses on a hanger before you leave,” Corrine commanded us. We all nodded dutifully, all of us clinging to the fabrics like we never wanted to be parted from them.

We left Corrine’s home and got ready to go our separate ways.

“See you in two hours?” I asked the girls.

“Don’t be late!” Aida said.

Huh. Fat chance of that.





Field





My bags were already packed for tonight’s trip to the In-Between, my suit hanging in my parents’ house. I strode swiftly to Maura’s treehouse. Maura had meant to meet me earlier this afternoon so we could wrap the gift we’d chosen for Sherus and Nuriya’s child, but she’d never showed. I assumed that she’d just forgotten, but still, even that was unusual for her.

I arrived at their front door, and knocked. I could hear Orlando and Regan inside, though I wasn’t sure why the former was here. Normally it would be only Regan to come round and get ready with Maura for a special occasion, since her daughters liked to be left to themselves.

Orlando opened the door and cleared his throat while standing back from the threshold.

“Hey, Field.” A slight color rose in his cheeks, and he ran a finger across the inside of his shirt collar. By the state of his dress I could see that he was in the middle of getting ready. His dark eyes didn’t quite meet mine.

“Sorry to bother you. Maura in?” I asked, not really understanding why he was behaving so awkwardly. I knew Orlando too well for him to be treating me like a stranger.

“Yeah, she’s in her room… Do you want a drink?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Just want to see Maura. We need to be leaving soon anyway, right?” I asked.

He nodded, and then led me into the kitchen, the front door still wide open. I stared after him in puzzled bemusement, and shut the door myself. I made my way to Maura’s room, at the back of the house, and quietly rapped my knuckles on the door.

“Maura?” I asked.

The door was flung open. Within an instant, Maura had flung herself in my arms, squeezing me tight, her face buried against my chest.

“You smell so good,” she said, her voice muffled. I hugged her back, my hands trailing through her dark brown hair, a smile on my face. I didn’t know what had gotten into the siblings, but they sure were behaving oddly. I held Maura gently, waiting for her to release me.

“Are you okay?” I asked, after she didn’t move.

She nodded her head, burrowing into the crook of my neck. I glanced around her room, noticing that she hadn’t packed. The bag she usually traveled with was still on top of the wardrobe, untouched.

“Aren’t you feeling well?” I pressed. This time I pushed her gently away from me so that I could see her expression. She looked flustered.

“I’m fine,” she breathed. Her eyes closed for a moment, and then she took a deep breath, standing back from me, leaving me standing by the door. She looked everywhere but at me, and a kick of sickness jolted through my stomach. I’d seen this expression on her face before—the last time we broke up after an argument—but never quite as flustered as now. Something was very off.

“Look at me, Maura,” I said, wanting to read her gaze—wanting to know what was coming, and how much it was going to hurt.

Her eyes met mine.

I folded my arms across my chest, my throat dry.

“Field, I’m not coming tonight,” she stated.

I nodded slowly.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she continued, her voice high and tight. “You’re the most incredible boyfriend. Really, you are, and I’ll always, always love you.”

I felt like someone had just punched me in the stomach.

“But,” she continued, now looking at the floor, “I can’t be with you anymore. It’s been creeping up on me the last year, and I’ve realized I’m more than ready for kids. But in spite of how long it’s been, I don’t feel our relationship is ready for them…We’ve been stable the last two years, but I don’t know what next year will look like. Now, I’m sure you’d say you’d have them with me, settle down and marry me, if I asked you to—but I also know it would only be to make me happy.” Her voice broke, becoming raspy and hollow. I wanted to take her in my arms, hating to see the obvious pain whipping across her face, but I couldn’t move. The sick jolt I had felt when I’d first understood what was coming had spread through my body, seizing up my muscles, so I could only stand and stare, waiting for her to deliver the final blows.

“We’re not forever, Field. I think we both know that by now. We don’t have the kind of steady, abiding love your parents have, or other couples I see in The Shade. I know you care for me deeply, but you don’t look at me the way Ben looks at River. I know you love me, and you’d do anything to make me happy—but I want more. And I… I want you to have more. We both deserve that. I’m doing this because I know you never will. You would never do anything to hurt me—so I’m going to have to hurt you instead.”