Chapter 28

I lay in the grass in front of a small lake, biting into a pink macaron and moaning at the delicious flavor. I was sunburnt on my cheeks and shoulders and I'd already gulped down three water bottles. It was late afternoon, and we'd spent hours exploring as many inches of the gardens as we possibly could. We kissed in dark garden corners and wandered through the Petit and Grand Trianons, where the king and queen used to escape the hustle and bustle of castle life.

I tried to bother Simon for more details about his time with Marie Antoinette, but he was elusive in his answers.

I handed him a purple macaron, purposefully allowing my fingers to brush against his. He chewed lightly, laying back in the grass and shielding his eyes from the sun. I hummed in delight and popped the rest of my macaron in my mouth.

"This has been a lovely day," I said.

"Are you happy?" Simon asked.

I sucked in a breath and looked out over the rippling water. Around us, people laughed and danced. Every one of them thought this place was as magical as I did.

"Yes," I breathed. "I am." I glanced at him. "Are you?"

He paused.

"Simon?" I coaxed.

He sat up and leaned over to kiss my shoulder. "You should know something about immortality, my darling." I waited for him to continue. "Becoming a vampire means becoming a predator. It means that every single person here is suddenly prey." He motioned around us. "And someday—probably someday soon—you will hurt one of them. And another. And another. And another."

I shivered.

"The regrets start to build up over the years. The shame. The guilt. Memories of the terrible things you will undoubtedly do," Simon said quietly. "It's unbearable sometimes."

I drew in a deep breath. "And you've been alive for four hundred years."

Now, it was his turn to stare at the water. "Yes."

"How did you die?" I asked before I realized the weight of my question. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that."

Simon shrugged. "No need to apologize." He didn't continue immediately, though he licked his lips like he wanted to. Instinctively, he touched his throat and a visible shiver ran through him. "My throat was cut."

I physically flinched at his words and lowered the box of macarons.

Simon's smile was pained. "Death is messy, my darling. It's painful. I don't, in particular, enjoy talking about mine. Most vampires don't."

"I'm sorry," I said again, before covering my mouth.

Simon shook his head. "Perhaps I will tell you another time."

I placed my hand over his, falling quiet. I'd never expected death to be peaceful or easy; I was well accustomed to it from working at a hospital. Even so, the thought of Simon dying in such a gruesome way made my stomach churn. A small part of me longed to know more details, but the larger part of me wanted to kiss away his pain.

"We should head back into the city," Simon murmured after a few minutes of silence.

"In a bit," I sighed, moving closer to rest my head on his shoulder. "I love it here."

"It's strange to visit this place as a tourist attraction," Simon admitted suddenly. "It's haunting to think how time changes everything around you, and yet you will always remain the same."

My stomach flipped. "Is it lonely?"

"It can be," he replied. He tilted his head toward me with a soft smile. "I don't think it will be for you."

"Why?"

"You'll have your sister. You said she has friends, yeah? They'll be your friends too. You'll have a whole community to help you through this."

I almost opened my mouth to ask if he would be one of them.

Almost.

Every muscle in my body ached as I trudged up to my hotel with Simon by my side.

In two days, I was supposed to fly home.

I had six hours until midnight, when my three days with Simon were up—though I wasn't sure it mattered, since he'd already agreed to make me a vampire. If I became one, I wouldn't get on that plane.

Suddenly, the weight of all my decisions seemed like too much to bear.

"I should give you some time to think," Simon said quietly, his hand falling from mine.

"No," I blurted, spinning toward him. He blinked in surprise. I shook out my hands and straightened. "I'm sorry, that was abrupt." I took a deep breath. "I'm going to order room service and take a long, hot bath. Will you please stay with me?"

Simon tilted his head and opened his mouth like he was going to deny me, then softened. He motioned toward the building. "After you, my darling."

I led the way inside; Simon followed one step behind me. I cringed at the mess in my room, but he hardly seemed to notice. As soon as the door was closed behind me, I darted for the room service menu to start flipping through it.

Then, I paused when a realization struck me and turned to Simon. "You haven't eaten."

He jerked in surprise, straightening from where he was halfway into sitting on the couch. "No, I haven't. You shouldn't worry about that, though."

I tilted my head. "Why not? How often do you have to," I trailed off and cleared my throat. "Drink blood, anyway?"

"Once or twice a day is usually enough," Simon responded, watching me carefully.

"And you've been with me for over a day," I said.

"Yes, my darling." Finally, he sat and kicked his feet up on the coffee table.

I laughed once. "I'm sorry. I feel like I need to offer to help you, but I don't know how."

Simon waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about me. Order yourself some dinner and start your bath."

I frowned but did as he asked. I ordered two bottles of champagne and more food than I could eat. I did my best to ignore him while I started my bath and undressed, but I couldn't stop thinking about him starving.

I dragged the sponge over my bare skin while I sat in the tub, scrubbing off the sweat and grime from the day. I dunked my head under the water and dragged my fingers through my hair to wring out the sweat curls. When I resurfaced, I felt refreshed.

I continued to wash off the exhaustion. When my fingers brushed the bite wound on the inside of my thigh, I gasped. I sucked in a breath, rubbing my fingers over the sensitive skin. Understanding sank into me, and I looked back toward the room where Simon was.

I could help him.

Shivers raced down my spine, and I sat up straight in the bath, brushing wet hair off my neck. The thought of Simon's mouth on my throat sent waves of heat through me.

I finished my bath and dried off, wringing out my hair and pinning it in a claw clip. When I returned to the bedroom, I left the towel wrapped around my torso. Simon looked up from his tablet, licking his lips as he took in my half-naked body.

"Have a nice bath, my darling?" His voice was low and dark.

I let the towel fall.

Black veins rippled under Simon's eyes and he leaned forward. "God, you're stunning."

Without a word, I walked forward until his knees brushed my legs. He leaned against the back of the couch, his eyes roaming over every inch of my bare skin. I crawled into his lap. The sound of his small gasp sent goosebumps erupting over my skin. I licked my lips and bent to kiss his cheek, his jaw, his throat, his shoulder. Simon hummed deeply, resting his head on the back of the couch.

"I want you to drink from me," I murmured, flicking my tongue against his collarbone.

Simon gripped my chin suddenly, holding me as his eyes burned into mine. His eyes were darker than I'd ever seen them. "Do you know what you're asking, my darling?"

I dragged my tongue over my top lip and hummed. "I'm asking you to kiss me, sink your teeth into my throat, and taste my blood."