Only when he heard her steps retreating down the hall did he allow his shoulders to slump. If he did not get blood soon, he would fall into sleep, his body shutting down to protect his mind.

A few moments later, Giovanni scrambled to his feet when he heard footsteps in the hall. The locks twisted and a human servant entered the room. The young man raised an arm, clearly indicating that Giovanni was allowed to drink. His fangs slid down and he grasped the man’s throat. Then he took a deep breath and backed away, clamping down his control so he did not drain the donor. He could see the fear evident in the young man’s frightened gaze.

Keeping one hand on the man’s throat and letting his amnis flow to calm him, Giovanni pressed his lips to the offered wrist. He took deep, slow draughts of the fresh blood until he felt his wounds begin to heal. Finally, he sealed up the man’s wrist and released him.

“Thank you.”

The young donor blinked, then said, “The mistress says to tell you another will be sent tomorrow.”

Giovanni narrowed his eyes. “What?”

“Another will come to feed you, Master.”

He nodded slowly, then waved the man away. The guard opened the stone door and let the donor out before the locks clicked in place again. Giovanni took a deep breath as the strength began to flow through his limbs and his wounds began to knit together.

He thought about Livia’s strange fury as he healed. Her violence. Her attempts to drink from him. She had looked...

“What was that, Livia?” He paced his stone cell. “What was that in your eyes? What was—” He halted when the answer occurred to him. She hadn’t been angry. Livia had been... frustrated. Like a child whose mischief had been thwarted.

Giovanni began to smile. Then laugh. Soon, his deep laughter echoed off the stone walls that held him. Someone had spoiled Livia’s plans.

It appeared Tenzin was back in Rome.

Chapter Twelve

Residenza di Spada

Rome, Italy

June 2012

When Tenzin and Beatrice reached the house in Rome, they dropped into the courtyard to see an unfamiliar vampire sitting near the fountain talking to Carwyn and drinking a glass of golden wine. The immortal may have appeared to be young, but his long, angular face and deep-set eyes gave him an ancient stare.

Carwyn smiled and waved them over.

“Beatrice, meet Lucien Thrax.”

“Finally.” She smiled and held out a hand.

The vampire rose. He was lean and weathered. His shaggy brown hair fell over his forehead when he bent over Beatrice’s hand and clasped it with both his own. “Many thanks for your hospitality, Beatrice De Novo. I am sorry I retired before we could be introduced last night. Your household has been gracious to me.”

She found herself clasping his fingers, which were unusually warm for a vampire. His energy felt different from any she had ever sensed, but his eyes were open and honest.

“You’re very welcome. I understand you’re a friend of the family, in a manner of speaking.”

Lucien closed his eyes and smiled slightly. “I was honored to call Ioan ap Carwyn one of my dearest friends. Carwyn and I were taking a moment to catch up on news. I met your lovely friends Desiree and Ben earlier this evening while you were...” His smile broadened. “Otherwise engaged.”

Carwyn snorted as he rose, motioning Beatrice to his seat while he and Tenzin gathered more chairs from the other side of the courtyard. “Speaking of that,” Carwyn said, “I don’t suppose you saw Gio?”

Tenzin shook her head. “No, but we did get to kill some guards.”

Carwyn patted her small shoulder. “That’s my small, ferocious girl.”

Beatrice smiled. “You missed it, Father. She scared the proverbial shit out of Livia.”

“I miss all the fun.”

Tenzin only looked him up and down. “If you weren’t such a behemoth, I’d fly you, too.”

Carwyn just shuddered while Beatrice and Lucien laughed.

“We earth vampires,” Lucien said, “aren’t terribly fond of air travel, if you haven’t noticed yet, Ms. De Novo.”

“Please, call me Beatrice. And yes, I’ve noticed.”

“Horrid, unnatural way to travel,” Carwyn muttered.

“Yes, it’s far more pleasant to tunnel underground like a giant rat.”

Beatrice shook her head. “You two really do bicker like siblings.”

Lucien burst out laughing. “Beatrice, you haven’t seen half of it!”

“Both of you, stop.” Carwyn waved a hand at them and looked back to Tenzin, suddenly serious. “Really though, what is the mood in the court?”

“Livia knows she’s backed into a corner, which means anything is possible. We need to get him out of there. She’s become more unstable than the last time I saw her. She’s still frightened by me, but she’s keeping Lorenzo at her side like a favorite pet, which means that he’s valuable to her right now. We have to assume it’s because of the elixir.”

“Or something to do with Geber’s book,” Carwyn said.

“No doubt, but that’s not the point. We need to get Gio out, and we need to do it in a way that she’ll not be able to point to us. My introduction should be arriving any night now.”

Beatrice said, “Your introduction?”

“Yes. Despite the way I charged in today, I will be very properly received the next time we’re there. It should drive her crazy.” Tenzin grinned. “One of Elder Lu’s children is coming in the next week to discuss mutual textile interests in Southern China, and Livia will be forced to acknowledge him as they have business. He’s naming me as a member of his retinue as a favor.”