As the music begins, we bow to one another, and flow into the practised moves. Thankfully, it turns out this is one of the dances where we change partners regularly, allowing me to avoid too much time with Thomas.
"You've been avoiding me." His voice sends a shiver down my spine.
He's gone before I can respond. Taken away by the steps of the dance. But that's all right. It means no one will notice we're having a conversation.
"Mother is suspicious," I whisper when I pass him.
He nods ever so slightly. Not enough to arouse any notice.
"I'll find you when they're gone," he says the final time we dance around one another.
I have no time to answer as I move on to the next partner in the dance. A lightness creeps over me as I realise he's now on the same page as I am, and isn't going to think I suddenly hate him.
The dance ends, and I curtsy to Thomas, before moving away to circle the room. I have to turn down the next man who asks me to dance, as he doesn't appear on Mother's list, but I soon find myself swept into another dance by someone she does approve of.
With every turn of the room, I check for where my parents are. My heart sinks every time I notice they're both still in the room. I'm not sure why they bother sometimes. Neither of them takes part in the dancing. All they seem to do is drink and talk, both of which they could do in far more comfort if they stay in their rooms.
It takes five more dances for them to disappear, along with a lot of the older vampires. It's become somewhat of a tradition that anyone under a century old stays to dance more as dawn rises. There are no windows in this part of the den, so we won't face any risks from sun exposure, which is always a positive.
I slip away from the excitement of the dancers and pour myself a goblet of wine from the corner of the refreshments table. I scan the room again, double-checking my parents are gone.
"They've left," Benedict promises me from behind.
I let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Is there somewhere we can go?" I don't look at him as I speak, wanting to keep up the appearance that we have nothing going on between us.
"That depends how private you want it."
"Very." The risks are greater, but the threat is too. And I need to talk to him.
"Follow me." He disappears.
I take a handful of my skirts in hand so I can follow him more quickly. We move through the warren of corridors which make up the den. The further away from the hall we get, the faster my heart beats. If we're going somewhere private, then the chances are high we're going to his chambers. I've never been there before, and I'm not sure what it'll mean going there now. Best not to think about it too hard if I can help it.
Footsteps scuff behind me.
I take a deep breath, and glance over my shoulder.
"Pull it together, Catherine," I mutter to myself.
I glance back in front of me to make sure I can see which way Benedict is going. The last thing I need is to lose him in the warren and lose a chance at time alone with him.
"In here," he says, reaching out and pulling me into the room with him.
I don't waste any time, and press myself against him. He kisses me deeply, giving me what I've been craving since I got out of bed.
"I'm sorry," I whisper as soon as we break apart. "Mother came to my rooms yesterday..." I fill him in on everything she said, including the list of acceptable dance partners.
Benedict grimaces. "That isn't good."
"No," I admit softly.
I pull away from him and walk around the room. It isn't big, and it's hard not to keep getting drawn to the bed with ruffled sheets. I bet it smells like him. I suppress the urge to lie down and bury myself in it. I doubt that's acceptable behaviour for a lady.
"Do you think your Father is even considering my proposal?" He asks, taking a seat on the only chair in the room.
With nothing else for it, I perch on the edge of the bed, extremely aware of what I'm doing. I fidget with my skirts, no doubt drawing his attention to how much it's affecting me to be in his space.
"No. I don't think he is. I think Mother's words were a warning," I admit. And from his room, I can see why. While wealth isn't one of my criteria when it comes to finding a husband, but it is one for my Father, and it doesn't appear as if Benedict has a vast amount of it.
"Then we have a couple of options..." he starts.
"Oh?" I try to ignore the pounding in my heart. What is he going to suggest? Is there a chance he doesn't want to end things between us. No matter what my parents say, I'm not ready for that. I want to spend the rest of my life by his side, if that's possible.
"We can part ways and pretend we were never interested in one another in the first place..."
"I don't like that option," I blurt.
He chuckles. "I can't say I do either. Which leaves either pretending there's nothing going on and carrying on an affair in secret..."
"Or?" The word comes out as a whisper.
"We can get married in secret, and reveal it when there's nothing they can do about it."
"I like that option."
"It's not something we should rush into, Kitty," he warns me.
"Are you saying that because you don't want to be with me any more?" I ask, a little broken-hearted even at the prospect.
He shakes his head and rises to his feet. He's sitting next to me on the bed within a moment, taking my hands in his and holding them tightly.
"I want to be with you. But I don't want you to regret your choice," he admits.
"Never."
I press my lips against his and guide him down onto the bed. I'm not sure where my boldness is coming from. Then again, I often find myself wanting to go further, and him stopping me. Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen tonight.
We get lost in one another. Now the promise is made between us, there's only one way it can't be broken, and we're about to make sure that isn't going to happen.
Chapter 9
"Morning," Benedict says, handing me a plate of bread and cheese.
I sit up in the bed, the sheet falling away from me. I grasp for it, covering myself. I've never slept naked before, it's odd to remember I am. But I didn't set out with this destination in mind, so I'm not fully prepared for it.
"I can't believe I stayed until evening," I whisper as I take the plate from him.
"I'll admit to not having planned this either." He sits on the bed, shirtless.
I lick my lips, thinking about all of the exploring I did before we fell asleep.
"Now is your last chance to get out of this," he jokes. "I'll find us someone to perform the ceremony today."
A wide smile stretches over my face, and I lean in to kiss him. "That sounds good to me."
We relax against the headboard and eat our breakfast. I hope Mother hasn't tried to rouse me from my rooms. Though even if she has, she'll never find me. I don't think.
A knock sounds on the door, breaking through our conversation. I try not to dwell on the idea that I may have brought this upon us by thinking about what will happen if Mother has tried to wake me.