An Acquired Taste (The Valentine Society)

Chapter Twenty-Two

I f I thought my life was lonely before, the next few days prove that I have newer depths to sink to. The staff avoid my eyes. There is no word about when—if?—Sebastian will return from his hasty departure. I’m not sure I want him to.

I consider reaching out to Benjamin to ask for his advice, but I’m not sure what I’ll tell him. He warned me that vampires could be dangerous, after all. Maybe this sort of thing happens all the time. And it’s not like Sebastian actually hurt me. He could have if he wanted to. He could’ve bled me dry and buried me on the grounds, and the staff probably would’ve just accepted his excuses.

That makes me think of Etta again, and I feel physically ill. Still, I can’t bring myself to reach out to Benjamin with what he’d doubtlessly see as an official complaint.

Normally, I’d call Maisy to ask her advice, but she still has no idea I’m a valentine. Lying to her has grown exhausting, so I’ve been dodging her calls lately. Isolating myself even further.

When my phone buzzes one night, I assume it’s her. But instead I glance at the screen and find a message from Alexander. Haven’t heard from you in a minute. Everything okay?

I bury my phone under my pillow and toss and turn through another restless day.

* * *

Ellen bursts into my room earlier than normal the next morning, looking frazzled. “Amelia? You have a visitor.”

“A what?” I sit up, rubbing my eyes and certain I heard her wrong.

“Someone is here to see you.”

But who could it possibly be? Nobody knows where I am. Unless… someone figured out the truth. My heart sinks as I imagine Maisy coming to confront me for lying to her, or Declan showing up. Probably with a gaggle of torch-wielding business bros ready to call me a blood bag whore, or something similar.

I’m aware that my anxiety is placing ridiculous scenarios in my head, but still. Who could possibly be here, at Sebastian’s middle-of-nowhere estate, for me ?

I dress quickly with some help from Ellen and rush to the stairs. I pause at the top, looking down the staircase to see a familiar, gorgeous blond man waiting at the bottom with his hands clasped behind his back.

I gasp. “Alexander?”

He looks up at me and smiles. “Amelia. I hope you’ll forgive the early-night intrusion.”

My thoughts are in a scramble. Why is he here? How is he here? I guess it makes more sense than anyone else I know showing up. Vampires are probably aware of where the others reside. Surely this isn’t nearly as weird as it seemed to me at first blush. I’m the one making it weird, standing here gawking at him and being horrifically rude.

I hurry down the stairs when I realize, nearly tripping over my dress. “Of course, I just— Wow! You’re here.” He looks at me oddly, and I realize I’m still being rude. I hurriedly drop into a curtsy. “I mean, Lord Alexander de Solomon. Um, welcome. Can I offer… can we offer… anything?” I look frantically at Ellen, who is standing at the top of the stairs.

She straightens. “Right! Coffee? Tea?”

“Tea would be lovely,” Alexander says, smiling. “Thank you.”

* * *

The long dining room table feels even more ridiculous when it’s just two of us sitting across from each other. Ellen drops off the tea set and places a vial of blood in front of Alexander.

“I’m sorry, we have only chilled blood in stock, nothing fresh,” she says.

“That’s perfectly fine,” he says, but his eyes dart quickly to my neck. I resist the urge to cover it with my hair. I’m well aware that vampires think fresh warm blood tastes best, but I also know it’s inappropriate for me to offer my blood to anyone other than my patron. Even when said patron is being a shit.

“I hope it’s alright that I dropped in,” Alexander says, stirring the blood into his tea. “But I was in the area… well. A couple of hours away from the area, to be fair, but I wanted to check in on you.”

“Oh,” I say, surprised. “That’s sweet of you.” I suppose I did ask him about Sebastian’s previous valentine and then dropped off the face of the planet… but it feels inappropriate discussing my relationship with Sebastian with him. “I’m fine, really. But thank you.”

He looks around the room, eyes lingering on the old grandfather clock. “I can see how one could get bored here,” he says. “It’s quite remote. And old-fashioned. I guess some vampires are like that.”

I bite back the urge to defend the place. It’s not like he’s saying anything insulting.

“And I take it Sebastian is not present?”

“Um, no. He’s away on business.” The lie comes smoothly.

“But this is supposed to be the honeymoon period for you two,” he says with a concerned look. “I can’t imagine leaving a brand-new valentine alone in a place like this. If you had accepted me as your patron, I would be spending every night with you. Taking you to all of the best parties, showing you off as much as possible…”

It takes a moment for the words to sink in. I stare at him. “What do you mean? I only received an offer of patronage from Sebastian.”

Alexander frowns—and then anger breaks like a storm across his expression, sudden and startling before his face shifts into regret. “I knew your chaperone disliked me, but I didn’t think he’d go so far.”

Neither did I. I stare into my cooling mug of tea and try to wrap my head around the idea. Why would Benjamin hide an offer of patronage from Alexander? Even if he believed Sebastian was a better match for me, I should’ve had a choice in the matter.

“I suppose I should have known,” Alexander says. “A man like Sebastian de Celeste has ways of getting what he wants. Power, money, influence…” He shakes his head, a strand of fair hair falling across his forehead. “I’m nobody compared to him.”

He looks so demoralized that I reach across the table and squeeze his hand. “I’m sorry,” I say. “I never would have tossed your offer aside based on that. I don’t know why Benjamin lied to me.”

Alexander looks up at me, his eyes arresting as they latch on mine. “Would you have chosen me, if you had known?”

“I…” I suddenly remember that we’re in Sebastian’s house, at Sebastian’s table. That I am Sebastian’s valentine. I slowly retract my hand. “I guess it doesn’t matter. I’m Sebastian’s valentine for the next few months.”

Alexander’s brow furrows. “More than that, surely?”

I shake my head. “Our contract was for six months.”

“How… unusual.”

I shrug and look down at my lap. “He’s an unusual man.”

The grandfather clock ticks seconds of silence past. Then Alexander shifts in his seat, leaning forward in his chair. “Listen,” he says. “Far be it from me to speak ill of the man in his own house, but… I had concerns when I heard you were matched with him. I must confess that’s why I came here. When you stopped posting online and didn’t answer my message, I was worried.”

My stomach rolls with discomfort. I don’t want to talk badly about Sebastian, but Alexander gives me pause. “What do you mean, worried?”

“Worried about your safety,” he says. “They say Sebastian was a beast in the years of the court wars. And the valentine you asked about… well, there were rumors.”

I try to hold myself back from asking, but this may be my only chance to find out the truth. “What rumors?”

“Nothing of substance, but… there was talk of arguments between them. Jealousy. People said she fled this estate in the middle of the day when she knew he couldn’t follow.”

A chill seeps through me as I remember the grave. If she left, why would she be buried here? I remember, too, that black hunger in Sebastian’s eyes, which nearly drove him to hurt me.

I attributed those fresh flowers on Etta’s grave to lingering fondness… but what if, instead, it’s lingering guilt?

Still, for reasons I can’t name, I’m reluctant to voice my suspicions aloud. Our conversation runs dry after that, and soon Alexander excuses himself. I walk him to the door and he pauses to take my hand, placing a princely kiss on my knuckles.

“Please call me if you’re in LA again,” he says, his eyes lingering on mine. “Or if you ever need help.”

* * *

I’m grateful that Sebastian is gone so I don’t have to face him with these suspicions yet. Part of me thinks it’s absurd that Sebastian could’ve killed his last valentine. He’s not always been kind, but he’s never harmed me. Yet… he almost did when his hunger overtook him. If he had been a younger vampire, or a hungrier one, who knows what would have happened?

And although my gut tells me to trust him… I’ve been wrong before, with Declan. I can’t trust my instincts.

The thoughts whirl and whirl around my head. I spend time around the staff as much as possible, grateful for human company and reluctant to be alone in the suddenly unnerving house. The creaks I was starting to grow fond of now make me jump. The beautiful windows leave my skin crawling with the sense I’m being watched.

One night, a box is waiting for me on my bed when I return to my room. I unfurl the beautiful golden ribbon and open it to find a stunning set of jewelry waiting for me. A necklace, earrings, and matching bracelets, all subtle but utterly beautiful, shimmering like liquid moonlight as I lift them in my hands. A note underneath catches my eye.

Sterling silver , it reads, underlined twice. Realization dawns on me as I think back to my lessons with Benjamin. Silver is a weakness of vampires; it burns their skin to the touch.

There’s no note about who sent it, but I can assume. Alexander mentioned that he was worried for my safety. Touched by the gesture, I upload a selfie of me wearing the necklace on social media. Alexander likes it almost immediately.

I set the jewelry on my nightstand and fall asleep thinking how good it is to have someone looking after me for once.