Florentine and Claude-Michel, where I could see them better. When I climbed in, I
looked at Florentine from head to toe as I passed. She smiled up at me, pretending to be
friendly. At that moment, I wanted to slap her face, but not as much as I wanted to slap
Claude-Michel’s for the amused smile he gave me.
François, I wanted to kill. He snickered audibly and took the place next to Claude-
Michel.
Once everyone had settled, Claude-Michel began asking about Florentine’s wedding
and found she was betrothed to a man who was “rather old.”
82
83
“Florentine!” her brother admonished. “He is a very wealthy man, and a good friend
of Papa’s. And he has always treated you well. Remember the doll he gave you that you
adored?”
“I was eight years old, Bernardo. And he was thirty-two. I do like him, but—”
“You agreed he would make a good husband,” Bernardo said.
“I’ll be bored, Bernardo.”
“You won’t be bored. He’ll take you to the theatre.”
She sighed heavily and stared out the window.
Bernardo looked at Claude-Michel nervously. “You have to excuse my sister, Signore .
She has such romantic notions.”
“But romance is the great adventure of life,” Claude-Michel said, with a long look at
Florentine. She stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. Even from here I could
see her pretending to restrain her smile.
We camped in the forest in late afternoon. Jean built a fire and took care of the horses,
while Claude-Michel went into the forest to relieve himself. I wondered if he really
needed to, since vampires do that far less than regular people, especially when blood is
scarce.
I decided to follow him. “I need to speak with you. Claude-Michel,” I said.
“Then speak,” he answered without stopping.
At first I stopped, unable to believe his continued arrogance. Then I caught up with
him and blocked his way. “Claude-Michel. I don’t understand you. One day you beat me.
The next you woo me, then you give François rights with me. Now you won’t even speak
to me.”
He stopped and regarded me sternly. “It is, my lovely pet, because of your childish
insistence that I conduct my affairs differently. You will accept my attentions as I choose
to give them. You will accept punishment when it comes, and—yes—you will obey
François as well. I grow tired of your childishness. Angelique accepted my habits, and
you will do the same.”
82
83
The comparison to his wife felt like a slap. I looked away momentarily. My lips went
slack. I blinked back tears. “Claude-Michel...you can’t give him rights over me.”
“I can,” he said. “And I must. François needs something to occupy him or he becomes
impossible.”
“Yes,” François said from behind Claude-Michel, examining his fingernails. “He
does. Especially when he has his hair pulled and is shown blatant disrespect.”
Claude-Michel did not seem surprised at François’ sudden appearance. I suspected he
had known he was there all along. But at his words, Claude-Michel furrowed his brow at
me. I could not stop myself from giving him a horrified look.
“What is this?” Claude-Michel asked. “What is he talking about, Chloe?”
François kept his eyes on me as he approached. “Yesterday evening, while I was
getting ready to go out, she pulled my hair and spoke to me in a very threatening manner.
She demanded submission because she turned us into what we are.”
Claude-Michel considered François’s words. Anger darkened his eyes and made me
afraid. “Is this true, Chloe?”
I fought to control my expressions, but I knew he could see the panic inside of me.
Even though I knew it was a stupid thing to do, I gave François a beseeching look, but he
answered it with one of blissful ignorance. It seemed grotesque in the forest.
I nodded and lowered my eyes. “Yes.”
“Would you do such a thing with me?” Claude-Michel asked in low tones.
I shook my head
looked at Florentine from head to toe as I passed. She smiled up at me, pretending to be
friendly. At that moment, I wanted to slap her face, but not as much as I wanted to slap
Claude-Michel’s for the amused smile he gave me.
François, I wanted to kill. He snickered audibly and took the place next to Claude-
Michel.
Once everyone had settled, Claude-Michel began asking about Florentine’s wedding
and found she was betrothed to a man who was “rather old.”
82
83
“Florentine!” her brother admonished. “He is a very wealthy man, and a good friend
of Papa’s. And he has always treated you well. Remember the doll he gave you that you
adored?”
“I was eight years old, Bernardo. And he was thirty-two. I do like him, but—”
“You agreed he would make a good husband,” Bernardo said.
“I’ll be bored, Bernardo.”
“You won’t be bored. He’ll take you to the theatre.”
She sighed heavily and stared out the window.
Bernardo looked at Claude-Michel nervously. “You have to excuse my sister, Signore .
She has such romantic notions.”
“But romance is the great adventure of life,” Claude-Michel said, with a long look at
Florentine. She stole a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. Even from here I could
see her pretending to restrain her smile.
We camped in the forest in late afternoon. Jean built a fire and took care of the horses,
while Claude-Michel went into the forest to relieve himself. I wondered if he really
needed to, since vampires do that far less than regular people, especially when blood is
scarce.
I decided to follow him. “I need to speak with you. Claude-Michel,” I said.
“Then speak,” he answered without stopping.
At first I stopped, unable to believe his continued arrogance. Then I caught up with
him and blocked his way. “Claude-Michel. I don’t understand you. One day you beat me.
The next you woo me, then you give François rights with me. Now you won’t even speak
to me.”
He stopped and regarded me sternly. “It is, my lovely pet, because of your childish
insistence that I conduct my affairs differently. You will accept my attentions as I choose
to give them. You will accept punishment when it comes, and—yes—you will obey
François as well. I grow tired of your childishness. Angelique accepted my habits, and
you will do the same.”
82
83
The comparison to his wife felt like a slap. I looked away momentarily. My lips went
slack. I blinked back tears. “Claude-Michel...you can’t give him rights over me.”
“I can,” he said. “And I must. François needs something to occupy him or he becomes
impossible.”
“Yes,” François said from behind Claude-Michel, examining his fingernails. “He
does. Especially when he has his hair pulled and is shown blatant disrespect.”
Claude-Michel did not seem surprised at François’ sudden appearance. I suspected he
had known he was there all along. But at his words, Claude-Michel furrowed his brow at
me. I could not stop myself from giving him a horrified look.
“What is this?” Claude-Michel asked. “What is he talking about, Chloe?”
François kept his eyes on me as he approached. “Yesterday evening, while I was
getting ready to go out, she pulled my hair and spoke to me in a very threatening manner.
She demanded submission because she turned us into what we are.”
Claude-Michel considered François’s words. Anger darkened his eyes and made me
afraid. “Is this true, Chloe?”
I fought to control my expressions, but I knew he could see the panic inside of me.
Even though I knew it was a stupid thing to do, I gave François a beseeching look, but he
answered it with one of blissful ignorance. It seemed grotesque in the forest.
I nodded and lowered my eyes. “Yes.”
“Would you do such a thing with me?” Claude-Michel asked in low tones.
I shook my head
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