Read Online The Couple in the Dream Suite by Marguerite Kaye - Free Book Online
Authors: Marguerite Kaye
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floor and stood directly in front of him. ‘You are lying through your teeth. Oh, not about the writing. I can see that – most likely it started at Craiglockhart.’ She waited, but even though he said nothing, didn’t seem to be able to say anything, she nodded. ‘Thought so. The style too, it resonates. Very angry. Very destructive. But it is never hypocritical, and it’s never petty, and it is never, ever personal. Besides, you quite forget you admitted when we were dancing that you were
not
here to do any such thing.’
‘I changed my mind. What do you mean, destructive? I do not – my writing is the very opposite of that.’
Vera shrugged. ‘You are very good at pointing out what is wrong with the world, but you’re not so good at offering solutions. I call that destructive.’
And she was right, damn her! She had turned the tables on him so quickly he hadn’t noticed, but two could play that game. ‘Who are you to lecture me?’ Justin said through gritted teeth. ‘What the hell are you doing with your own life, if not destroying it?’
Vera flinched. The mocking smile faded. ‘You’re right.’ She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, in an unconscious reflection of his own stance. ‘That’s exactly what I have been doing, but it’s going to stop. You see, Dexter was right when he threw us together, we are very similar. Listening to you, it’s made me see myself in a very different light, and I don’t like it.’
She paused, took a ragged breath and gave him a ragged smile. ‘It’s at times like this I wish I smoked. What I’m trying to say is that I’ve been – well, playing a part, I suppose. The vampire.’ Another ragged smile. ‘I’m sick of it. I’ve stuck to it because it’s seen me through some very dark times, and I realise now I’ve been scared that if I dropped it, those times would come back. Well, they might, but I’m going to hope they don’t, and if it wasn’t for tonight – for you – I wouldn’t have the guts to try. After today, I think I might actually stop living for the moment and try just living. Who knows, I might even get to like it.’
She stopped. She waited. She watched. He refused to think about what she had said. He refused to let it resonate. He was so set on his path, he refused to let anything get in the way. ‘I’m glad,’ Justin said.
Silence. And then she seemed to wilt. ‘I see. That will teach me to dream.’ Her shoulders drooped and she turned away, but half-way across the room, she stopped. ‘I’m not sure what the form is, so I’ll say goodbye now, we vampires have to get back into our coffins before the sun comes up.’ Her smile was vicious. ‘I should thank you for the lessons. You are an excellent teacher. I’m looking forward to putting what I’ve learnt into practice.’
***
Vera closed the door behind her without looking back. She was shaking so badly she had to lean against it for a moment. She couldn’t hear a sound from the other side. Was he still standing there, waiting for her to come back? She hauled herself upright and headed for the sitting room. No. He was simply waiting for her to go. Nothing she’d said had made a difference, because he was determined not to let it, and she was damned sure she wasn’t going to waste her time trying to change him.
Even if she was sure she was right.
Even if she had dared to dream a little.
Even if she did find the idea of the future a little bleaker without the possibility of him being in it.
She began to pick up the remnants of her stage costume. It was ruined. She bundled it into a waste basket. She’d have to wear the Fortuny gown with nothing underneath. A fitting end for her last night as a vampire. Her reflection in the mirror above the fireplace was pale. Stripped of cosmetics, she looked vulnerable. She would have to get used to that. Her hair was sticking up. She went into the bathroom to slick it down with water. There was not a sound from the bedroom.
not
here to do any such thing.’
‘I changed my mind. What do you mean, destructive? I do not – my writing is the very opposite of that.’
Vera shrugged. ‘You are very good at pointing out what is wrong with the world, but you’re not so good at offering solutions. I call that destructive.’
And she was right, damn her! She had turned the tables on him so quickly he hadn’t noticed, but two could play that game. ‘Who are you to lecture me?’ Justin said through gritted teeth. ‘What the hell are you doing with your own life, if not destroying it?’
Vera flinched. The mocking smile faded. ‘You’re right.’ She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, in an unconscious reflection of his own stance. ‘That’s exactly what I have been doing, but it’s going to stop. You see, Dexter was right when he threw us together, we are very similar. Listening to you, it’s made me see myself in a very different light, and I don’t like it.’
She paused, took a ragged breath and gave him a ragged smile. ‘It’s at times like this I wish I smoked. What I’m trying to say is that I’ve been – well, playing a part, I suppose. The vampire.’ Another ragged smile. ‘I’m sick of it. I’ve stuck to it because it’s seen me through some very dark times, and I realise now I’ve been scared that if I dropped it, those times would come back. Well, they might, but I’m going to hope they don’t, and if it wasn’t for tonight – for you – I wouldn’t have the guts to try. After today, I think I might actually stop living for the moment and try just living. Who knows, I might even get to like it.’
She stopped. She waited. She watched. He refused to think about what she had said. He refused to let it resonate. He was so set on his path, he refused to let anything get in the way. ‘I’m glad,’ Justin said.
Silence. And then she seemed to wilt. ‘I see. That will teach me to dream.’ Her shoulders drooped and she turned away, but half-way across the room, she stopped. ‘I’m not sure what the form is, so I’ll say goodbye now, we vampires have to get back into our coffins before the sun comes up.’ Her smile was vicious. ‘I should thank you for the lessons. You are an excellent teacher. I’m looking forward to putting what I’ve learnt into practice.’
***
Vera closed the door behind her without looking back. She was shaking so badly she had to lean against it for a moment. She couldn’t hear a sound from the other side. Was he still standing there, waiting for her to come back? She hauled herself upright and headed for the sitting room. No. He was simply waiting for her to go. Nothing she’d said had made a difference, because he was determined not to let it, and she was damned sure she wasn’t going to waste her time trying to change him.
Even if she was sure she was right.
Even if she had dared to dream a little.
Even if she did find the idea of the future a little bleaker without the possibility of him being in it.
She began to pick up the remnants of her stage costume. It was ruined. She bundled it into a waste basket. She’d have to wear the Fortuny gown with nothing underneath. A fitting end for her last night as a vampire. Her reflection in the mirror above the fireplace was pale. Stripped of cosmetics, she looked vulnerable. She would have to get used to that. Her hair was sticking up. She went into the bathroom to slick it down with water. There was not a sound from the bedroom.
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