“Very. I spent hours researching with my mother. For years.”
“So to someone who doesn’t know much about it, you’d sound like an expert?”
Her mouth turned down at the corners slightly. “Sure.”
“And if someone did know a lot about it, how would you appear to them?”
“More than an amateur, less than an expert, probably. Even then, I can pretty much hold my own.”
Bast studied her again. At the vision she made. Her curls had been piled high on her head, silken strands cascading down her elegant neck in random places. It drew attention to the twin marks of her neck, a distinct signal to the other vampires that she belonged to someone of their kind.
The only makeup on her face was a light layering of lipstick. Just enough to make her lips glisten and her eyes appear an even more rich blue. That intense gaze peered back at him now, so warmly.
They looked at one another, and Bast wondered—just for a split second—if the thing happening between them went further than he’d originally intended. Than he’d imagined.
What would it be like to have someone around all the time? Someone who saw his flaws and didn’t run, but actually embraced him instead?
Alice sat lost in thought again. She blinked in rapid succession, not saying a word. Her throat worked at swallowing several times, and Bast hoped he didn’t ask too much of her. Her hand opened and closed in her lap, but those eyes remained focused on him.
It wouldn’t be terrible to imagine looking into them for a long time to come.
Of course, that would never happen. It just wasn’t in the universe’s plan for someone like her to be with him for a lifetime. He would have to be grateful for the little time together the universe had bestowed upon them.
“Well,” he said after a while. He’d faced front again, using the street lights racing by as a place to focus his turbulent mind. It took effort to shake off the emotion flooding him. The one that had no right to life. “I think then we have our cover.”
Drew turned the wheel effortlessly and glanced at him. “Yeah?”
“I’ll call the others and let them know. Alice, I’m thinking your knowledge is about to come in very handy.” There was no response from the backseat, so he turned to her with a smile. “You with me, princess?”
She shook her head as if dazed. Probably back there doing all sorts of charting in her head or something. “I’m sorry, what?”
“I’m giving you a promotion.”
* * *
They were alone again, the Escalade’s motor still running although it was parked next to the other two. She didn’t have to study the empty lot too hard to know their group was the first to arrive. That didn’t help the churning sensation in her belly any either.
Despite overhearing Sebastian’s half of the conversation to his men, she still wasn’t quite sure she understood. And his instructions didn’t clear the confusion any better. “You don’t have to do anything but be yourself. They’ll spot a lie before it’s out of your mouth, and that does neither of us any good.”
Drew left a few minutes ago to help the others, but Sebastian had stayed behind, keeping his earlier promise.
“So you want me to talk genealogy?”
“Only if asked, and knowing this group and the way they like to show off to each other, they’re going to love you and do plenty of asking. You’re going to be a dream come true...”
He lifted his head, his gaze darting to the entrance of Pomodoro di Oro, which had been shut down for the night in order to cater to its auspicious guests. Who knew vampires had a thing for Italian food? She could have laughed at that. Then again, maybe it was all that marinara sauce that appealed to them, with the color being the same as their favorite nourishment and all. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to do this. What else do I need to know here? What happens if they don’t believe me? I feel like I’m flying blind.”
“All right, slow down and take a deep breath.” He paused as she tried to rein in her nerves. “Now, don’t think. Start with one question. Ask me the first thing that comes to your mind.”