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“I’ with the corkscrew and the bottle
“Here Let me do it” Marcus held out his hand
“How is Jack?” I asked, du a tub of yellow cherry toned it, and the thing orthy of a wedding reception at the Ritz, adorned with curls of cabbage, kale, and mulberry leaves, which provided a colorful backdrop for triht yellow tomatoes, strips of pepper, radish rosettes, and cucumber sticks A celery root in the middle of the tray sent up leafy stalks that resembled a tree
“He’s sticking close to Matthew” With one deft twist, Marcus freed the cork from the bottle
“And Rebecca?” Fernando said, his sharp eyes belying his casual tone
“She’s on Baldwin’s lap, perfectly contented” Marcus shook his head in amazement “He dotes on her”
“And Apollo is still in the potting shed?” I wanted to break the news of Philip’s fa
“So far” Marcus decanted the wine into a pitcher “I’d bring out some blood, Marthe Deer or human if you have it—just in case”
On that cheerful note, Marcus returned to the garden Marthe picked up the platter of vegetables and followed I sighed
“Maybe Matthew is right Maybe these faood idea,” I said
“Vampires do not, as a rule, celebrate birthdays,” Fernando said
“Not everybody in this family is a vampire,” I retorted, unable to keep the frustration fros have been unusually—”
“Challenging?” Fernando s else between de Clermonts?”
We got through the hors d’oeuvres and chitchat with flying colors It e sat down for dinner that the seaan to fray What started the unraveling was Phoebe
“Thirty days isabout in Paris after dark,” Baldwin said disapprovingly “Of course Phoebe got into trouble Miriam’s laxity doesn’t surprise me, but Freyja knows better”
“I wouldn’t say trouble, exactly,” Ysabeau said, her tone dagger-pointed
“Miriam’s children have endured some terrible situations in the past Do you re, Ysabeau? What a poor choice,” Baldwin said “And Miriam let her make it”
“Layla ignored her s,” Fernando said “Not all children are as cowed by their makers as you were, Baldwin”
“And just because you’re older than dirt doesn’twith the ste mixture of blood and red wine
“What was that, pup?” Baldwin’s eyes narrowed
“You heard me,” Jack muttered “Uncle” His final word came a bit late to qualify as a title of respect
“I’ht out carefully and thought it was for the best,” I said, hoping to pour oil on the water before ere engulfed in waves
Sarah, as sitting next to Jack, took his hand The gesture was not lost on Baldwin My brother-in-law had reservations about letting Matthew establish his own recognized branch of the fae va inthat the de Cler family members with the illness I had even promised to spellbind Jack, if need be
Jack poured himself another hefty measure of blood from the pitcher in front of hi blood helped to stabilize hiswith the disease’s symptoms
“You’re hitting the blood rather hard tonight, Jack” Baldwin’s reer members of the family
Marcus sat back in his chair, eyes rolling heavenward Jack went on to pour so lass that the contents reached the brim and sloshed over the side Philip scented the rich blood and reached both hands toward Jack
“Juice,” Philip said, tiny fingers flexing “Pleeeease”
“Here Have some of this instead” I quickly cut some nearly raw steak into s to distract him
“Want juice” Philip scowled and pushed the meat away
“Juicy juice” Becca, as sitting next to Baldwin, druainst her chair As far as she knew, there were two marvelous elixirs in the world: juice (milk mixed with blood), and juicy juice (blood mixed ater) Becca preferred the latter
“Aren’t they feeding you enough, cara?” Baldwin asked Becca
Becca scowled at hih food in the world to satisfy her appetite was completely preposterous
Baldwin laughed It was a rich, warm—and entirely unfa hih out loud
“I’ll trap a pigeon for you tomorrow,” Baldwin promised his niece “We’ll share it I’ll even let you play with it first Would you like that?”
Matthew looked a bit faint at the prospect of Baldwin and Becca going hunting together
“Here, cara Drink this,” Baldwin said, holding his blood and wine to her lips
“There’s too ood—”
“Nonsense,” Baldwin said with a snort “I grew up drinking wine at breakfast, lunch, and dinner And that was before Philippe sired me It won’t harm her”
“Baldwin” Matthew’s voice sliced through the rising tension in the air “Diana doesn’t want Rebecca to drink it”
Baldwin shrugged and put his cup down
“I’ll oes to bed,” I said
“That sounds revolting” Baldwin shuddered
“For God’s sake, leave it alone” Marcus threw his hands in the air “You’re alwaysJust like Philippe”
“Enough, both of you” Ysabeau was in the unenviable position of sitting between the two feuding vampires I had warned her in advance that she had drawn the short straw and would be placed between Marcus and Baldwin, but neither protocol nor prudence would perement
“Nunkle!” Philip cried out at the top of his lungs, feeling left out
“You don’t have to shout to get my attention, Philip,” Baldwin said with a frown He clearly held his nephew to a different standard than his niece, who had spent eon to forbidden as well as wine, sister?”
The rooe to ht of the tension in the rooe
“Agatha Tell theested, still holding Jack’s hand She shotuarantees
“Jack!” Philip now tried to get Jack’s attention by blaring out his name like a klaxon
“I’itation by using his pet name for him “May I be excused, Mum?”
“Of course, Jack” I wanted hi storm as possible
“You need to keep hiulated, Matthew” Baldwin cast a critical eye over at Jack as he stood to go
“I will not have ht she le Baldhich was not a bad idea