Hugh took a seat in one of the high-backed leather chairs fronting Sebastian’s desk. “I need advice.”
“Always happy to help. What can I do for you?”
Hugh frowned, trying to find exactly the right words. “I need to know how you got over Evangeline.”
Sebastian’s smile flat-lined and angry embers lit his gaze. “I’ve asked you and Julian not to speak her name in my house.”
Hugh nodded. “I know, and I wouldn’t, but getting over her, how you did it, is something I need to understand how to do too.”
“Then that’s going to be a problem.”
“Why’s that?”
Sebastian pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. “Because I never have gotten over her.” He poured a dram into both glasses, then pushed one toward Hugh. “You may not want this, but I do.”
Hugh stared at him. “Are you telling me you’re still in love with her?”
Sebastian drained his glass, refilled it, then turned his chair toward the windows. “You think I’d be this miserable if I wasn’t?” He drained the second glass. “Why are you asking me about her anyway? You’ve never been heartsick over one of your entanglements before.”
“It’s not that exactly. It’s…” Hugh gave him the quick and dirty version of Annabelle coming to stay with him.
Sebastian shook his head. “Didi is out of control. If I were you, I’d give her the damn amulet and be done with it.”
“Yes, but you rarely leave the house anyway.”
“We’re vampires. It’s unnatural for us to be outside when the sun’s up.”
Hugh laughed. “We’re vampires. Being vampires is unnatural.”
Sebastian topped off his whiskey. “Speaking of, how’s the formula coming?”
“I thought I’d had a breakthrough, but the last batch only held out for five minutes.” A little of his blood mixed with the formula, then set beneath UV lamps. Same test. Same miserable results.
“And then?” Sebastian quirked a brow in interest.
“Up in flames.”
Sebastian made a face. “Damn shame.”
“I am getting closer, though. The one before that only went thirty seconds.”
Sebastian straightened the pencil on his desk so it was perfectly parallel to the ledger page. “We need that formula. I love Didi, but she uses those amulets against us too often. And I’d like to travel.”
“Leave your house? I’m aghast.” Hugh smirked. “Where do you want to go?”
“Europe. Asia. Anywhere that isn’t part of Didi’s domain.”
“You want to look for Evangeline.”
Sebastian changed the subject. “About this woman…do you have feelings for her?”
“It’s too soon to call whatever’s happening feelings, but she definitely affects me.”
“That’s too bad. Sounds like it might be too late for you to stop the natural order of things then.”
“Natural order?”
“You fall in love, she breaks your heart, you suffer.” His brother capped the whiskey bottle. “But if you’re not going to give Didi the amulet back, you’ve got no choice but to go along with it and at least make a decent show of things.”
Hugh stood. “That’s what I was afraid you’d say. Bloody lot of good you are.”
“Just don’t marry her.” Sebastian turned back toward the windows. “That’s when the hell really begins.”
Delaney didn’t wait for Stanhill to open her door. She jumped into the car as soon as he came to a stop.
He twisted to face her. Something unspoken clouded his gaze. “How did it go?”
She stared at the enormous manor house she’d just left. “It was…interesting.” She met his eyes. “Mrs. Ellingham is a woman with a very clear idea of how things should go, isn’t she?”
He nodded. “Yes. And it’s almost always in her direction.”
Delaney laughed softly. “I’m glad it’s over.” She looked closer at him. “Is everything okay?”
He hesitated. “Why do you ask?”
“You seem not quite yourself.”
“Everything’s fine. Let’s go home, shall we?” He turned around and threw the car into drive without waiting for her answer.
He was quiet the rest of the way home, so she used the time to check news on her phone. Still no mention of a body, but there were more texts from Russell and Samantha, both asking where she was and if she was okay.
Delaney deleted both messages.
When they got back to the house, Stanhill unlocked the side door that went through a mudroom and into the kitchen. He waited for her to enter then shut and locked the door behind her.
Weird, but not that weird. “Is Hugh home?”
“No, he’s at his brother’s.” Stanhill leaned against the granite counter top. “We need to talk.”
She’d been headed upstairs, but his words stopped her. “We do?”
He nodded, pulled out his phone and turned it around so she could see the screen. “Who’s D. James?”
His caller ID had shown her real name when she’d called to be picked up. Fear dried out her mouth and turned her tongue to dust. “I can explain…” She could. If she didn’t lie. And she was so tired of lying.
“I’m waiting.” The slightly scary gleam in his eyes strengthened her resolve