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."Iwon't leave you alone again," she promised."At least not for a while.You don't need to beoverstressed."Heather fell back from her, mouth agape, then turned accusingly to Bastien."You told her! It was badenough that you guessed.I wanted to break the news myself."Bastien pressed his hand to his heart."My heartfelt apologies, Mistress Heather.How may I makeamends?""You can't," Heather said."And don't call me that goofy name.Man.Old people think they don't have toask permission for anything."Ignoring the jibe at Bastien's age more appropriate than Heather knew Mariann assured her she washappy if Heather was.Heather turned pink and mumbled a response, something about Eric and her notgetting married yet, but being prepared to "act like a team." Whatever Bastien had done to impose histhrall, he hadn't changed the real her."I'm proud of you, kiddo," Mariann said, "keeping this place together by yourself.A lot of employeeswould have thrown in the towel.That tells me you and Eric should do fine.Why don't we " She pausedto take a breath."Why don't we go back in the kitchen and I'll show how to make my grandfather'sfamous Vermont Mountain Fudge Cake.""Really?" Heather cocked her head."Your Gramps's recipe? Like, can I copy it down and all?" "You bet," she said, feeling strangely light."You're part of my team, too.It's time I treated you that way.""Wow," said Heather."Cool.""SHE thinks I'm a good teacher," Mariann said, still hugging the memory to her."And she didn't seem tofind it odd that I made her do all the tasting.I know it's early yet, but maybe this will work out."Bastien squeezed her hand, then let it swing between their hips.He didn't have to say a word.She knewhe guessed how sweet her optimism felt, as sweet as knowing their thoughts were in harmony.Every timetheir fingers twined, the contact felt more natural until she gave up on trying to fight her pleasure.Nowthey were climbing the grand main staircase at the inn, following the curve of mahogany risers to thesecond floor.The Night Owl was dark, but Mariann could see everything perfectly, down to the mutedgreens and browns of the wallpaper.She had to admit she liked her new hypersenses.Her nose had told her the state of her cooking almostas well as Heather's tastebuds.At the top, they stopped to admire the black-and-white diamond patterns in the marble floor below.Apart from a few empty spots in the decor, the renovations looked done.Seeming nervous, Bastienreleased her hand.Mariann pretended she didn't mind."So," he said, "how does the place strike you?""Quiet.Plush.Even though a lot of this stuff is new, it looks like the real McCoy.I feel like I'm timetraveling.""Good," he said.'That's what I wanted.""Figure you'd get the humans to meet you halfway?""Perhaps.Of course, halfway for me would be more like the Renaissance.""I'm afraid I never was much for counting if it didn't involve spoons and cups.""Ah," he said, a sound that came out as awkward as it was pleased.She suspected he was leery ofputting a foot wrong.Their new rapport must have seemed as delicate to him as it did to her."Bastien," she said, hoping to make him relax."Why do you want an inn? It seems a peculiar business fora& an upyr to have.""Do you want the easy answer or the hard?""Both."She turned to him, resting her side on the banister.He was gripping the rail with both hands.A human'sknuckles would have been white."The easy answer is that I wanted a window on the human world, aplace where my friends and I could learn to pass unnoticed among mortals.As the years go by, we tendto lose touch with what we used to be.""And the hard answer?" He let out a rueful laugh."The hard answer is that I wanted a little kingdom.I need to rule, Mariann.That drive is as strong in me as the one for survival.""You say that like it's bad."He pushed off the banister to scrub his face."Neither Emile or I like to talk about it, but once upon atime, during a struggle for dominance, our pack leader in France put a curse on Emile that weakened himbit by bit until it threatened to end his life.To die quickly is one thing.To die slowly we find particularlygruesome.For us, pain truly can last an eternity.Hugo chose this form of torture to intimidate me andanyone else he viewed as a rival.Emile and I escaped to Scotland, but getting away proved no cure."Because I was desperate, I tried to take over an established pack.I intended to use its members assoldiers to defeat the man who had cursed my friend.I employed magic and force and any trickery Icould think of to get my way.In the end, I showed myself no better than my enemy.""You used magic?" The word had rolled more easily off his tongue."Isn't being a vampire magicenough?""There are spells we can do," he said, his eyes showing his awareness of her discomfort, "to increase ournatural powers: our thralls, our glamours, all our inborn abilities.Most are forbidden, but people dobreak the rules.""And you used these forbidden spells.""I would have committed any act short of murder to save Emile." He signed."I started my own little reignof terror, against people who had done me no wrong.I hope I've changed since then, but I can't say forcertain how much."Mariann pressed her thumbnail against her teeth."What happened to the upyr you hurt?""They forgave me, even the man whose pack I tried to steal.They welcomed Emile and me to theirhome and found a way to heal his injuries.It was a miracle, for both of us, one I doubt I'll ever repay.Unfortunately, the years have made me too powerful to share our new pack leader's territory.Inevitably,we would clash.That is why Ulric banished me to America."Sorrow roughened his voice, a regret that held the weight of all his years.Whoever this pack leader was,Bastien admired him.She suspected being exiled had cracked his heart.She was beginning to understand just how big a heart he had."I don't know," she said, striving for lightness."It sounds as if Ulric might have meant you well.Maybehe didn't want to fight you any more than you want to fight him.Maybe he sent you here because hethinks you'd make a good leader.It might have been his version of a friendly kick in the pants."Bastien wagged his head."I wish I could believe that.""Please forgive me if this offends, Bastien, but I haven't met anyone who's terrified of you now.You treatEmile like a valued partner.You thralled Heather, and she's still not afraid to yank your chain.On top ofwhich, there's me.I may be a pipsqueak compared to your pack leader but, trust me, I'm no patsy." "No, you're not
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