Thief of Lives by Barb Hendee J. C. Hendee

Author:Barb Hendee, J. C. Hendee [Lives, Thief of]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Vampires, General, Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Fantasy fiction; American, Horror fiction, Occult & Supernatural
ISBN: 9780451459534
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2004-01-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

That night, Chane climbed the stairs to Sapphire’s room shortly after a message was delivered for Toret.

Feeling some trepidation about entering her room, he knocked on the door.

“What is it?” Toret called from inside.

Chane cautiously opened the door but remained in the hallway. Toret sat on the satin-covered bed next to his beloved, along with a half dozen shimmering nightgowns of varied hue he’d ordered, so she would have choices of attire for her convalescence. Sapphire reclined against a mountain of pillows in a sea-foam-green dressing gown.

“I can’t do my own hair like this,” she complained. “You must hire me a girl.”

“That’s not safe, my sweet,” Toret replied, as if to a child.

“But my curls are fading. Just look at my curls.”

Indeed, Chane noted without sympathy that her sculpted ringlets hung half-coiled in a dark-blond mass down her shoulders.

“A message was delivered,” Chane said. “Do you wish me to read it to you?”

Toret’s neck craned around and then he reached out. “No, I’ll take it.”

Unfortunately, this required Chane to actually enter the room and hand it to him.

“Are you listening to me?” Sapphire demanded.

Toret opened the message, looked at it for several moments, and then folded it again.

“Chane, stay and entertain your lady awhile.”

“In here?” Chane asked.

“Of course in here. You and I are going out later, and I don’t want her alone all night. See to her wishes but stay out of the parlor. I need some time to myself.”

Toret left, closing the door, and Chane fought down his revulsion as he looked at Sapphire. He had been reduced to a houseboy.

Sapphire smiled with the wide, glassy eyes of a cat spotting a mouse. “What can you devise for my amusement?” she asked.

Chane wondered if snapping her neck would qualify as a suitable diversion.

“I’m bored,” she said. “And my ribs hurt, and Toret promised to bring me a pretty girl to satisfy me.

You make sure he remembers that.”

“Yes, some nobleman’s daughter. A trifle, I’m sure. Where should we look for such a treat, my lady?”

He bit off the last two words. “Young people from proper families are safely ensconced in their homes at night.”

“Toret and I found you, didn’t we?” Her smile widened. “Not so proper then, are you?”

Her bright eyes dropped to his half-open shirt. When the message arrived, he’d been alone in his cellar room, preparing to change clothes for Toret’s errand later this evening.

“And not proper at all tonight,” Sapphire added.

Revulsion turned to mild fear. If he walked out, she would begin screeching. Toret would come up and simply order him to stay—or worse if he suspected something illicit had occurred. It would be his fault either way.

“What about a game of cards?” he suggested quickly.

She blinked, honest surprise washing over her round features.

“You would play cards with me? Really? I haven’t played cards in a long time.” She pointed at something in the corner. “We can use that little white tray if you set it on the bed.”

“I must find a deck,” he said.

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