Snow White and the Vampire by Marina Myles

Author:Marina Myles [Myles, Marina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2013-10-24T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The tang of brine and the bellow of tugboats drifted off the Embankment as Alba turned onto Fleet Street. She hastened against the crisp breeze toward the Inns of Court, a bundle of nerves. She was late for work today—and she’d been chiding herself about it ever since she’d left the dormitory.

Touching her hand to the dark shadows beneath her eyes, she scurried up the steps that led to Gray’s Inn. The four Inns of Court were situated in the legal district of London which, as attested to by its noise and by its smells, wasn’t far from the River Thames. Whenever the sound of water lapping against the Embankment reached Alba at her desk, it sent her back to her native Romania. The Thames reminded her of the Olt River—and of the pleasant life she used to know before her mother died . . . before her father married Ileana.

Unfortunately, daydreaming at work—and being tardy—were two things Mr. Rollingsworth frowned upon, so Alba suppressed a yawn and hurried into the great hall. She passed a set of chambers belonging to another barrister and finally entered the dark, richly paneled chambers of Mr. Rollingsworth. Settling herself at her desk, she put her head down on its surface and closed her eyes. Silence enveloped her, but only for a moment. Teddy burst through the door, bright-eyed and cleanly shaven.

Alba snapped her head up and shot him a curdling look. Surprisingly, he wasn’t put off by her scowl. Rather, he smiled as he swung his arm forward and presented her with a stunning bouquet of white roses.

“Happy birthday, darling.”

“Oh, Teddy,” she gushed. The drama of the past weeks had pushed her birthday from her mind. As she gazed at the spectacular flowers, she felt like a sour stick.

“Beauty for a beauty,” he said gallantly.

“Thank you.” She reached for the bouquet, then cradled it against her chest.

“You’re welcome.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

Teddy sat on the edge of the desk. Looking his usual, polished self in a well-cut houndstooth suit and mohair greatcoat, he removed his hat without flourish. Everything Teddy did he did without bravado. Alba supposed she should find his lack of ego admirable, but she didn’t. To her, it made him seem dull.

Still grinning, he looked down at her. “The flowers were a must. I had to do something to regain your confidence.” He paused. “What’s more, you deserve to be fawned over—after what that monster Grigorescu put you through.”

Dimitri didn’t do anything to me that I didn’t want him to do.

Alba put her nose to the roses while her encounter with Dimitri came flooding back to her. She could feel his hand skating up her thigh. And she could envision his lengthy manhood pressed into her palm as they’d rolled about the bench of the hansom.

She chased away the erotic images under a stirred heartbeat. “You know I love being fawned over,” she quipped, “but I must get some work done.”

“Of course.” Teddy rose. “Since Tabitha Crowe confessed to killing her son, she’ll be sentenced later today.

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