I still haven’t found the demon, Kat. It worries me, but I do not let them see this of course. He spoke to her in Chalysian, his words becoming formal without Alexandru being aware of it. Back when they were young and the world was just as young, it had been the only way for them to talk. The more flowery the words, the emptier they were, and the simpler their language, the more they felt – but couldn’t express.
I don’t know how or why, but I think it’s aware of Zari. Or at least it has an idea of what my pet is. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping again tonight. I need to be ready. I don’t want it to catch me unawares.
Alexandru’s head bowed.
Wherever you are, I hope you are all right. You are, as always, in my heart.
ZARI’S HAND TREMBLED as she knocked twice on the infirmary’s door. Mrs. Humphrey, the school’s human nurse, was the one to open the door, her face visibly surprised as she asked, “Don’t tell me you’re injured again?”
Zari quickly shook her head, stammering, “I’m, umm…” She hadn’t really thought this through. Stuck for an excuse, she found herself clutching her belly. “I feel pain here.”
Mrs. Humphrey’s eyes widened. “That kind of pain?”
She blinked.
But the nurse was already nodding understandingly, opening the door to let Zari in. “Dr. Anton? A student is here to consult you about an unplanned pregnancy.”
Zari sputtered in disbelief. What was the nurse saying? Before she could correct Mrs. Humphrey’s erroneous assumption, the door to her left opened, and a tall woman with short brown hair strode out of the room. She walked with both confidence and grace, and her aura was warm and friendly when she saw Zari fidgeting near the infirmary’s main door. “Hello.” She had a cool, clear voice, the kind that belonged to someone used to being in command. Like those of her kind, her face was unlined by age, and the only hint that she was not human was when she smiled. It was a beautiful smile, but it also showed the barest hint of her fangs.
Jumbled thoughts ran through Zari’s mind. How old was Katarina? Did she grow up with her Master? Were they each other’s first love?
Her imagination went into overdrive, and suddenly all she could see was her Master…with her. Alexandru and Katarina holding hands. Kissing. Drinking from each other. Fucking.
Zari’s tummy hurt, this time for real.
The female vampire stopped next to Mrs. Humphrey. Still smiling, she said, “I’m Dr. Katarina Anton.” She offered her hand.
Zari really didn’t want to take it, but good manners forced her to, and just as she shook the doctor’s hands, Mrs. Humphrey said, “This is Lady Zari, Doctor.”
The hand Zari was holding went still.
Did she know? When the doctor released her hand, Zari immediately looked at the other woman’s face, and what she saw in the doctor’s eyes told her she wasn’t the only one aware of who they were in her Master’s life.
“…she’s one of the best doctors among her kind,” Mrs. Humphrey was saying. “So it’s quite a coup LSL has managed to acquire her services.”
When the nurse had finished, the doctor gestured to her private clinic. “Perhaps you could join me inside?”
Zari could only nod and as she followed the doctor to the clinic, feeling like she was about to walk to her own death, the doctor suddenly stopped. Turning around, she told the nurse, “I’m sure I can handle it from here, Mrs. Humphrey.”
Zari’s eyes widened. No, wait – did that mean she was going to be alone with this woman?
The doctor glanced at her wrist, the sleeve of her lab coat falling back to reveal her watch. “It’s getting late anyway. It’s okay for you to leave for the day.”
The nurse’s face brightened. “Really?”
Behind the doctor, Zari shook her head wildly at Mrs. Humphrey. Don’t leave me!
The nurse frowned. “Lady Zari?”
The doctor turned to Zari.
Zari immediately schooled her face to be expressionless. Or at least she hoped it was.
The doctor asked pleasantly, “Is there a problem, Lady Zari?”
Was it just her imagination, or was there a threat in the way the doctor said her name? Zari gulped. “Umm, nothing, Doctor.”
Before she knew it, the nurse was gone and she was all alone and locked inside the doctor’s office. Looking at the doctor as she took her seat behind the desk, Zari could still feel herself battling with disbelief. Was this really…Katarina? The woman her Master loved?
The thought had her wanting to run away, but she knew it would be pointless. Lord Erou was away from school again, but even if he was there, he wouldn’t be the right person to talk about this. There was Rhapsody, too, but it didn’t feel right either, troubling the other girl with her problems when they barely knew each other.