The Blood Ruby (The Arcane Artifacts #2)

Chapter 4 - The Hours Until Dawn

I stood motionless, waiting until Laurent had gone, then worked to open the windows. They swung outward, giving me a good view of the manor's gardens. I groaned at the distance below.

Where was the creepy ivy when you needed it? I looked at the manor's outer walls. There was nothing I could use to climb down. But that wasn't enough to rule out the idea.

I went to the door, next. When the handle turned, my heart skipped. I popped my head out into the hallway. Empty.

He'd left the door unlocked?

I shut it and frowned. Laurent didn't strike me as careless. So, he'd done it purposefully. Or he was simply that confident in his ability to hold me captive, that he didn't care. That was probably it.

I moved around the rest of the room, taking it in with wide eyes. Throughout my childhood, even into my teenage years, I'd had a recurring fantasy. I'd usually escaped into it while falling asleep at night. It was always a variation of the same idea. I'd get adopted by a wealthy family and go from rags to riches. Or I'd just wake up in a different life. A different girl. It ached sometimes, how badly I wanted out, how hard I held on to the idea, hoping my fantasy would become real. As I got older, I realized the only person who would pull me out was myself.

Teenage me would be screaming with excitement right now. This defied even my wildest dreams. I exhaled, running my fingers over the bed's silk comforter. I'd heard Laurent say red room earlier and expected a bloody monstrosity. This was...elegant. Dark wood walls and furniture to match, with deep red upholstery and bedding. I examined the paintings on the walls, set in gold frames. They were signed—all of them. But I didn't know enough about art to know how valuable they were; something told me each one cost more than my mathematics degree.

I huffed, stepping away, turning in place.

And then there were the amenities. Fluffy robes, house slippers, a beautiful bathroom complete with a giant claw foot tub and shower, toiletries, et cetera. There were even extra blankets in the closet.

Its like my wildest dreams had come true in a twisted, awful way—

Knock-knock-knock.

I whirled towards the door, my heart kicking up. "Uhm. Come in?" I called.

A head popped in, short black bob swaying. In the light, I noticed beautiful streaks of red. The woman in question glanced around. Spotting me, she stepped over the threshold. "Well, now, he certainly wants you comfortable."

"Uhm, hi?"

"Oh! Manners. Yes." She strode across the room. I got the impression she could move much faster, but she was putting me at ease. "Zola Pirani, darling. It's an absolute pleasure." Her voice was breathy, low, sensual.

I swallowed, eying her proffered hand. She nudged it towards me, so I shook it. "Lily Shaw," I managed, then frowned. "Your skin—it's not..."

"Cold?" I nodded. "Of course not, darling. You really believe all that nonsense?"

I opened my mouth, then snapped it shut. I wasn't about to blame Laurent, even if he'd been lying. "Wait, so all the rumors about vampires aren't true? Holy water, crosses, garlic, all that?"

She laughed, throwing her head back. The sound of it made my belly flop. I couldn't help my eyes. They lingered over her long neck, down the length of her perfect body. What would it be like to be her? To live in a place like this? To wear dresses that cost me a year's rent.

She was still in the glitzy gown from before. In fact, she looked like she'd walked straight out of history, a perfect replica from another time. I wasn't generally attracted to females, and yet, I couldn't stop looking.