“Nothing! … Much,” she drew out sheepishly. “Actually, it all starts with the construction of this mansion.”
“How so?”
Waving a hand, she supplied, “To make the story short, let's just say things became financially unstable and it started to look as if I wouldn't be able to finish building it. So I turned to Foxy for moneymaking ideas, and she had some inside information, which just so happened to be that Eradin was intending on buying a reputable plastics plant needed to start the global manufacturing company he now owns.
“So I looked into it, and as it turned out, I had just enough to purchase the plant first, and may have tripled the price by ordering new equipment on credit and hiring several more employees by the time Eradin was ready for purchase.”
Snorting, Stephan remarked, “Sounds like a huge gamble.”
“It was, but what is life if not another four letter word for risk?”
Guess that's one way to put it, he thought. Maddox was devious, after all, she was simply more creative about it than the average vampire. Pulling off such a stunt would've been a meticulous undertaking as well, particularly if she wanted to keep it secret from Eradin so he'd buy without qualm.
Yet, if the wizard didn't like her now, then he'd apparently learned of her ruse anyway.
“So let me guess, Eradin found out.”
“Yes,” she chuckled. “About a year later, I received a letter on ornate stationary stating that if I wasn't already dead, he'd have me killed. I took that to mean clever, but don't ever do it again.”
With the story explained, Stephan grumbled. “Okay, so you pulled the wool over his eyes. But it's been almost a century. Do you really think he still holds a grudge?”
“Never underestimate a mage's pride, Stephan, particularly an elven mage's,” Maddox countered. “It can be hard to get back in their good graces once you've fallen from them.”
“Everything's gotta be complicated,” he muttered. “So what good is knowing who Wesley's mentor is if we can't talk to the guy? Do you even know where Eradin is?”
“Dalris said he lives in a Manhattan penthouse, but he does a lot of traveling.”
“Then why don't we just go for a visit? Or send someone Eradin doesn't know to ask?”
“Dalris tried that already, but Eradin's perceptive, and he's also warded the entire block his home is located on with protective magic. Besides, his wraith isn't something you truly want to incur. A wizard? With high status? You may as well shoot yourself.”
From the sound of it, this elf was either extremely paranoid, or just flat out stuck-up. But if he was a wizard of any talent, he probably had good reason to be.
It left one final question to be asked, and Stephan muttered it in irritation. “So what do we do?”
Somehow, he wasn't certain he liked the way Maddox deviously grinned when she sat up, placing her heels back on the floor with the announcement, “I'll show you.”
Maddox had no idea how Stephan would react to the plan she was about to reveal, but she couldn't help her own enthusiasm, leading him into her dressing room where she snagged an envelope stuck in the corner of her vanity's mirror.
Dalris had given her the letter two weeks ago, and she opened the flap to pluck the leaflet from within, then handed it over to Stephan and explained.
“Dalris informed me of an annual masquerade ball that's being hosted in the New York City Spire by a fae named Isadora. It's invitational only, and caters mainly to supernaturals, but most importantly, he said Eradin's always in attendance.”
The leaflet was elegantly designed with the words The Spire Masquerade in fancy print across the top. The description stated; The 15th Annual Spire Masquerade Ball will be held in the 55th Floor Delilah Ball Room of the New York City Spire. Enjoy dancing, drinking, and this year's magic auction! Invitational Only!
Below that was an addendum; And yes, party poopers will be happy to know that masks are optional. -Isadora
“Magic auction?” Stephan inquired.
“Yes. That's where mages offer temporary services to the highest bidder.”
“Then you're planning to bid on Eradin?”
“Oh no,” Maddox shook her head, “I don't even know if he's actually participating in the auction, and besides, I don't have the kind of cash it would take to buy him. Dalris said apprentices can go for nearly a million dollars, so an elven wizard? There's no telling how high the bids would get.”
“Then you just wanna go and talk to him there.”
“Yes. We get dressed up, attend a party, and if we happen to stumble across important information, then we'll have fun doing it.”
She offered him an encouraging grin, excited about the formal affair. But Stephan grumbled, looking more of the information over before mentioning, “This is almost a month away, Maddox.”
“I know, and I'm going to try setting up a meeting sooner, but if he refuses—and I know he will—then this is our best bet at gaining an audience without stepping on toes.”
The votary didn't look at all thrilled, asking as he handed the leaflet back to her, “How do you plan on getting invited?”
“Dalris knows the hostess personally, and he's going to pull some strings.”
“Guess that leaves me off the list,” Stephan remarked hopefully.
Pursing her lips, Maddox pointed out, “Actually, the invitation will be for me and an escort of my choosing.”
The news wiped his face clean of whatever optimism he had left, and without a single ounce of exuberance, he folded his arms over his chest and muttered flatly, “Oh goodie.”
Maddox had no idea why he was so sour about going to a party, and would've asked, but her attention was too drawn to the way his sleeves were stretching against his biceps to give an automatic retort. Oh my.
Instead, she heard herself insisting, “It'll be fun, Stephan.”
“If you say so.”
Eyeing him, she got the distinct impression that Stephan simply didn't know how to have fun. Perhaps I should show him.
Innocently biting her bottom lip over the thought, she drew in closer and placed her hands on his forearms, casting a sweet smile up at his face.
“You're not even a little excited?”
“No.”
Despite the brusque answer, his heart had skipped a beat. So Maddox continued, “But we'll get to dress up, meet interesting people. Oh, and dance.”
He shrugged dismissively, but his pulse was steadily picking up its pace as their bodies brushed, proving he was either interested in the idea and didn't want her to know, or he just liked having her close.
So she idly traced her painted nails across his arms, asking, “Would you dance with me if there's a chance?”
“Maybe.”
That's better than a no, she thought, grinning. “I'm holding you to that.”
As if her enthusiasm was troubling, Stephan groaned. “Just don't get too excited, Maddox. There's still a chance that Eradin's let go of his grudge, so we might talk to him before the masquerade gets here, or gain another lead entirely.”
He sounded so hopeful that Maddox shook her head. Forgiveness or not, she was attending this party, and taking Stephan as her escort.
After all, he'd unwittingly given her something to hold onto; earlier, while she'd worried they'd never truly bond, Stephan entered the sitting room and watched her drinking blood without a word of protest. He looked a little green, but he didn't leave, and even acknowledged her need to eat.
Maddox only wanted Stephan to be comfortable around her, after all, and such acceptance was a definite sign of progress.
So when the ball came? He won't know what hit him.
Promisingly, she told him so—in a roundabout way.
“I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?”
26
♦ ♦ ♦
Maddox hadn't lied about her trouble getting sleep.
That night, Stephan called a tow truck for his jeep, then took a nap on the couch upsta
irs, asking Maddox to wake him before the sun rose so he could keep his promise of staying with her in the basement that day.
But first, he picked up her belongings from his vehicle and acquired a rental car, returning to the mansion once he was done to find that she was already in bed, though she wasn't yet asleep. The sliding door to the alcove where her bed was located was also open, making Stephan wonder if a part of her trouble resting was a fear of becoming entombed a second time.
But he decided not to ask in case she hadn't actually considered such a thing, and merely informed her that he'd be in the sitting room if she needed him.
With that, he turned in, still groggy after a day long trip and only a few hours of sleep the night before, and things went smoothly—at first. Maddox seemed content, and even thanked him as if having someone nearby offered a much needed sense of security.
Knowing she was comforted by his presence was more satisfying than he could've guessed as well, but Stephan decided not to think too deeply on why, and just hoped the day would go by uneventfully.
Yet he wound up having sleep difficulties of his own.
As a man who liked to stretch out, he soon learned that the chaise sofa wasn't exactly comfortable, being too small to accommodate his full size. His legs hung off the edge, causing him to toss and turn until he eventually gave up and made a pallet on the floor, sleeping haphazardly for a few hours at most.
Drifting in and out of consciousness, he eventually detected movement in the next room, but couldn't determine if it was a dream until a sharp yell woke him completely.
Sitting up, Stephan heard Maddox whimpering, and quickly stood to join her in the bedroom. There, he found her twisted in the blankets, tossing and turning, and the sounds she made walked a line between heavy upset and heated rage.
Furthermore, tears were streaming down her cheeks, and the sight of it broke Stephan's heart.
Knowing she was reliving the horrible experience of being trapped in a coffin, he moved toward her, intent upon ending her distress by shaking her awake. Yet, before he could reach her, the vampire suddenly sat up, screaming her sire's name with her eyes glowing red and fangs sharp.
Breathing heavily, she growled, her gaze clouded by a predatory rage that sent chills through his blood. Not even the vampires in the lair where he was held captive had shown such a murderous glare, but he knew who the look was meant for—Lillian.
It nearly made him regret not finding the magistrate alive, because he could only imagine what Maddox would've done to her.
Still, for as fierce as the look was, recognition soon dawned, and she focused on him like she'd forgotten he was staying with her that day.
“Stephan?”
“Yeah, I heard you yelling and came to check. You alright?”
With her breathing returning to normal, she retracted her fangs and shook her head, but neglected to address her troubles in favor of apologizing.
“I'm sorry I woke you.”
“No,” Stephan returned, sitting next to her on the bed. “I'm here to help with this, remember?”
She gave a brief nod, staring dolefully down at the sheets, and whatever she was thinking about, the urge to comfort her was growing stronger by the second, particularly when she whispered, “I can't do this anymore, Stephan. I miss Mathias, and I—”
Her voice suddenly cracked on a sob—and Stephan simply couldn't resist. Without pause, he reached over and pulled her into a tight embrace, murmuring, “You just need some sign that he's okay to put your mind at ease.”
“Yes,” she confirmed softly, curling her fingers into the front of his shirt as if she feared he might pull away. “Maybe then, I'll forget about that fucking coffin and it won't feel like I'm trapped during the day any longer.”
Idly, his hands stroked up and down across her back, hoping to soothe her as much as possible. The effort drew to mind his reluctance to believe she'd suffered from being buried alive when he'd first revived her, but now, the idea of Maddox trapped in such a manner was absolutely intolerable.
Not only had she suffered, she was reliving it daily, and his grip tightened around her more than he thought she'd be able to stand. But he couldn't help himself, wishing there was more he could do than merely hold her with the hope that, just maybe, his presence would calm her enough to go back to sleep.
During his thoughts, Maddox turned a weary smile up at him and whispered, “I actually feel better now, Stephan.”
Holding her gaze, he asked, “Are you sure?”
She nodded, letting her eyes close with her cheek resting against his chest. “Is it too much to ask that you sleep in here with me? Just for today.”
The request set off a few warning bells. With her resting against him, Stephan was comfortable—too comfortable—and knew he'd have to be careful if he didn't want to initiate another intimate encounter like they'd shared at the barber's. But it wouldn't be impossible to avoid as long as a little space was kept between them, and he agreed, letting go of her so that she could crawl toward the left side of the large bed.
After adjusting the blankets, he turned and pulled himself toward the right, laying back against the pillows with plenty of space between their bodies—and her bed was much more comfortable than he'd expected.
Maddox rested on her left side across from him, and he was grateful when she pulled the sheets up to cover her body considering her damned silk robe outlined nearly every curve she possessed—and her curves were the last thing he needed to think about just then.
So Stephan was all ears when Maddox mentioned casually, “It's times like this that I wish Sutrelle was real.”
“What's Sutrelle?” Stephan asked, wondering why it sounded familiar.
“It's the seat of our old domain, at least, in a historical sense. But some vampires think it's a lost paradise where rivers flow with blood and sunlight doesn't harm us.” Sighing, she added, “Whatever the truth is, I could stand to be somewhere that I can go out during the day right now.”
Stephan couldn't blame her for wishing for such a thing, and suddenly recalled where he'd heard the name before. “Wait, isn't Sutrelle the same place Ignacio mentioned?”
“Mm-hmm,” she drew out softly.
Stephan recalled Ignacio claiming that Lillian wanted Mathias to tell her where it was located. But it was hard to believe he'd know and not share that information with his daughter.
“Did Mathias never mention anything to you?”
Maddox opened her golden eyes to look over at him, and shook her head. “Mathias never confirmed it, but he didn't deny it, either. He simply said some truths are best learned instead of told.”
That was a vague statement, making it sound as if the truth could go either way. “So what do you believe?”
“It's not impossible that it existed,” Maddox qualified, “but I'm skeptical of any place that's described as having bloody rivers. Where would the blood even come from?”
The question made him snort in amusement, and in turn, Maddox grinned when she spied the mirth on his face.
“Honestly now, can you imagine how badly it would smell?”
“I feel sorry for the fish,” Stephan qualified.
At that, Maddox erupted in soft laughter, grasping his hand to squeeze. “Thank you, I needed that laugh.”
Stephan grinned, looking her over as she nuzzled her cheek against her pillow with a smile on her face. She seemed to have completely forgotten her worries, or simply wasn't bothered at that particular moment, but either way, it was damned good to know he'd been able to make even a small impact.
So instead of releasing her hand, he idly ran his thumb over her knuckles, finding the motion to be just as soothing as he hoped she would.
“Let's try to get some rest, Maddox. I'm … ,” he trailed when he felt her grip loosening, her even breathing suggesting she was already asleep.
“Tired, too,” he finished, then slipped her hand from his and laid it near her face so she might be more comfortable.
/>
Following the action, he turned on his side and watched her for several long moments, wondering exactly how he'd gotten here. If someone told him a month ago he'd be in bed next to a gorgeous vampire trying to help her sleep, he would've scoffed—or punched them, depending on his mood.
But now?
There was honestly nowhere else he'd rather be.
Maddox had more vibrancy and appreciation for living than anyone he could recall meeting recently. Her excitement for attending a masquerade was refreshing in a way he couldn't explain. Stephan wasn't at all interested in going to some supernatural party, but when she'd asked if he'd dance with her, he found himself actually looking forward to giving her one she'd never forget—and it was a strange sensation.
The only things Stephan had looked forward to recently was finishing his hunt and laying down his burden, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized one plain and simple truth.
Stephan Forrester had died five years ago.
Surviving wasn't the same thing as living, and he didn't know how to enjoy things anymore, wasn't even sure he deserved to if he tried. He'd never regret those years spent hunting, but there was no quality to them, no life, something he hadn't realized he'd desperately needed until meeting Maddox.
It was simply ironic that he'd learned such a thing from a woman who was technically dead.
♦ ♦ ♦
For the first time since Maddox was revived, she quickly fell into a memory-less sleep and didn't wake until well after dusk—all thanks to Stephan.
Certainly, their blood link helped, but she hadn't entirely relaxed until he was close. Listening to him talk while focusing on his pulse soon lulled her worries, and the next thing she knew, her eyes opened several hours later to the sight of Stephan's broad back facing her from across the bed.
Indeed, she felt completely refreshed.
With an appreciative smile lifting the corners of her lips, she quietly pushed herself up and slipped over to her human companion. Resting a hand against his side, she enjoyed the feel of hard muscle beneath her fingers while laying her cheek against his large arm, whispering, “Thank you.”
Fallen Hearts Page 21
