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The paper he held out was pristine and crea with a rary look passed over Madathe note open with her teeth, she read it one-handed and sucked in her breath Ever so gently, she untangled her fingers froround as if I were made of porcelain

"There are more, madame" Blaise held out a fan of paper in his other hand, and Madaiddy chuckle

"Would you like to be the mistress of a duke, racefully conceding defeat and otiations

"I’d like to meet him first"

She stepped back, tucked the duke’s note into her cleavage, and brushed down the front of my jacket where she’d wrinkled it with her fist "The can-can, eh? You’ve named a dance ‘the scandal’ "

"We are also sold out for toht, madame" Blaise melted into the shadows

Madame Sylvie crowed and looked at ular way and not the harmless daimon way "And what a scandal it is! Already sold out for tomorrow, and it’s not even intermission I would call you an instant success if it didn’t cause me pain to do so" She took a deep breath and put her hands on her hips "Outfoxed by a Bludrand success, tons of publicity, and oodles of money?" I ventured

She patted me on the head "Just so Now, off to your room and lock the door before they find you You’ve driven thehtenedLimone’s room"

Her h Just stay away from La Goulue, or she’ll stab you in the throat"

"I’ve already died once on your stage I’m not scared of round two"

"Be scared of tomorrow, my dear There will be evento eat you alive"

"Not if I eat them first"

My eyes dared her to retort She raised her chin a notch On a whiht the corner of the duke’s note and whipped it out of her corset, tucking it into aze continued to measure me, and I raised my eyebrows

As I turned to hideof which, I’ll send out for sory"

I raised a hand in thanks and ry I a self-satisfaction lasted until I opened the door to Li bywhite curtains

"Shut the door and close your eyes," he said

12

"Honestly, Vale Breaking in?"

He shrugged and grinned, his hands behind his back "The as open, bébé" His finger sketched a circle in the air "Now, at least turn around and shut the door"

I leaned back against the wood, ht’s room had been a closet with a cot, but Li roorate The bed was suauze and vines made of paper I’d spent the afternoon trapped in here, waiting for sbetween me and Vale but warm, smoky air scented with cinnamon and flowers and a jacket I’d already unbuttoned, it felt like a room made for seduction

I nodded and closed irl"

A cork popped, and liquid glugged against glass He stepped close enough forfrooblet Gently, slowly, he brought it toin deep, I ss Blood, lots of it Red wine, deep and perfectly aged and carrying hints of berries and vanilla and su out in Earth on o of ht the rilass to my lips as he stepped even closer

The scent of the as overwhelerous