Page 27 of Rite of Blood and Secrets

Jemima pauses her brushing. "You won't find your fangs like that, miss."

"Oh." Even in the mirror, I can see the flush of embarrassment on my cheeks.

"You have to think of blood," she says.

I'm not entirely sure I want to, but I also need to know for certain that what I've been told is true, and that means seeing my teeth.

I take a deep breath and recall the sweet taste of it on my tongue. A hunger pang spreads through my stomach, and even if I hadn't been able to see the two pearly white fangs poking out over my lips, I'd know the truth of the matter.

I'm a vampire.

I wait for the panic to set in, but it doesn't come. Probably because after last night, I didn't really have any doubts about it.

"There'll be blood waiting at the breakfast table for you, miss," Jemima says. "They'll keep you well fed."

"Thank you."

"And your dog too. She'll get the blood she needs when the staff bring her food."

I blink a few times. "What do you mean she'll get the blood she needs? She's not a vampire."

Even in the mirror, I can see the pitying look she gives me. "Every living being in a noble House is a vampire, miss. Including the pets."

"But...how?"

"I can't tell you that." From her tone, I can't tell if it's because she doesn't know, or if it's because she doesn't want to tell me. "You don't have anything to worry about, she'll be well taken care of by all the staff, I'll see to it personally."

I nod meekly, because what else can I do? Other than change my plans slightly so I can find a cure for both of us before we can properly get out. I suppose that's not going to be that much more difficult than just finding one for myself.

"Thank you."

She smiles and nods, putting the finishing touches to my hair. "I noticed you had some hair combs," she says.

"My mother's." I hope she's not about to suggest I throw them away.

"If you like them, I can learn more hairstyles that use them," she says. "I'm here to do as you please."

"Thank you, that's appreciated." Though I'm in no way naive enough to think she isn't going to be reporting back to someone about what I do. Probably Lord Fallmartin, but I doubt he's going to be the only one. For all I know, she could be reporting on everything going on in House Rothorne.

Her whole face lights up, and I can tell I've said the right thing. "You're all ready, miss."

"Thank you." I get to my feet, straightening out my dress and trying to get a feel for the person I'm now expected to be.

"I believe Lord Bastian is waiting for you in the dining room," Jemima says.

I nod. "I'll be with him presently. Do you know where Pip's rope is?"

"One of the others was sent to get you a proper lead, miss." She picks up a box and opens it. Inside is a black and red leather lead, matching the House colours. I guess that's something I should get used to, everything seems to need to be in black and red.

"Thank you." I pick it up, surprisingly pleased by how it feels. I've always felt kind of bad attaching Pip to an old bit of rope, this is more like the kind of lead she deserves. "Come on, Pip," I say to my dog.

She looks up, her tail thumping against the bed. I attach the lead to her collar and she jumps off the bed, eager to go with me. I don't know if she actually needs to be on the end of one while I'm in the family rooms, but I don't want anything bad to happen to her, so it seems safer to have her like this.

"If you let one of the servants know when you want her taking for a walk, we can arrange it," Jemima says. "If evening has fallen, there are paths around the castle you can use, but during the daylight hours, you'll have to take her to the courtyards if you wish to walk her yourself. But one of us can do it for you."

"I shall," I respond, though I don't know if that's true. I'm used to tending to Pip on my own, I'm not sure how I feel about other people doing it.

But for now, I'm going to put that out of my mind. Because Bastian is waiting for me in the dining room and I have no idea what to say to him after last night.