Struck (A Vampire Novel) ✔

Twenty-Five

Xander blinked above me while Aveline sat with her mouth half-parted in surprise. I squirmed under them, feeling the heat of their full attention and my mortification.

“Master Jacobi? You’re sure?” Xander asked, frowning. I didn’t respond. I felt like any moment I would melt through the bed mattress and into the purgatory meant for those who died of complete embarrassment. Aveline was only quiet for a moment before she began to bounce steadily up and down on her knees. Then she abruptly squeaked and started to slap at Xander’s arms. I couldn’t be sure if it was madness, anger, or insane excitement that caused her to attack Xander.

“We have to…,” Aveline paused, glancing at me with crazy eyes before grabbing Xander and pulling him off of me. They shifted away from the bed to mutter quiet things which I couldn’t hear. It made things more awkward than usual. I decided the best thing was to hide myself under the covers until I suffocated to death or enough time passed that everyone forgot everything. Apparently, this plan wasn’t to work long because an abrupt knock on the door presented a strange man I didn’t recognize.

Aveline scowled at the intruder, moving aside to allow them inside the room. For modesty, I bunched the sheets around me to cover my dainty slip and therefore my form from this stranger. Where I thought the man was here for Xander and Aveline, I was proven wrong when he moved straight for me. I immediately scooted onto the far side of the bed in distrust.

“Who is this?” I asked Xander, who was nearest to me.

“I see you’re feeling better,” The stranger stated with clear distaste, “Audrina won’t be pleased.”

“She isn’t completely healed. The claim must have sped it along,” Xander defended me sharply.

“A claim doesn’t typically heal wounds like that within a few days,” The stranger replied with mild disbelief.

“With two vampires bonded to her, it obviously did,” Aveline snapped in irritation.

“That or a certain Master of the coterie decided to speed up the process himself.” The man stared at them, waiting for their faces to give away any secret they were hiding. Neither of them shifted or looked at each other, so they played very good at not giving away Jacobi. Then again, they didn’t exactly know what all Jacobi had done when he had ‘touched’ me. The man looked back at me. “Very well, turn around. Let me see how you look.”

I looked up at Aveline behind the man. “Go ahead, Elysia, he’s not going to hurt you,” She told me, her irritation still clear on her features. It was enough to convince me, though. I turned and bared my back to the stranger, hugging the sheets over my chest as though they’d protect me.

“Hmm,” The man said, touching one still raw wound that made me hiss in sharp pain. “It won’t scar as bad as the Royals hoped, but it still looks nasty enough. As for the accelerated healing… I don’t have enough evidence to suggest it was something other than the claim, so for now I’ll accept your excuses.” After this, the man backed away, casting a look at all of us before disappearing out the door.

“That was the Royal’s witness?” I asked the minute he was gone.

“Yes. He’s been coming here every night to see you’re healing normally,” Xander responded. He looked from Aveline to me carefully. “We’ve got to go to a meeting. You’ll be okay here? We can have the kitchens send up food while we’re gone if you don’t feel up to going to the dining area.”

I shrugged. “You don’t have to worry about me.” They didn’t seem convinced, but I was left alone regardless. I figured, once alone, that it was probably best to try putting on real clothes. I really wanted to wear something like shorts or jeans, but the shirts provided would no doubt itch at my back, which was irritating enough without the fabrics. I ended up picking a casual backless black dress.