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why, unless we were all being formal, most of us just called her Mistress. Though some of the Elders made a habit of calling her Padrona, the Italian equivalent.
    The soft glow of candlelight sent shadows dancing across the floor. I kept my eyes lowered, watching as the edge of her shadow drew near. I felt her touch on the back of my neck and shivered.
    “It has been too long,” she said.
    Unsure what to say, I was silent.
    “Epiphany,” she said, “look at me.”
    I raised my head obediently.
    I knew what I would see, knew what she wanted me to remember.
    Her beauty made my heart ache. Her hair tumbled to her waist, rich and black, except when the light caught her tresses…
    I shut my eyes to block out the sight of her, remembering the candlelight flickering on her hair, picking up the dim midnight blue highlights.
    “Renata,” I whispered. “What do you want?”
    “To see you.”
    “Why?”
    “Is it your place to question me, Epiphany?” Unlike Vasco, Renata had years of practice to perfect the English language.
    I bowed my head again. “No.”
    “No. Come here, Epiphany.”
    I didn’t want to go to her. She moved to sit on the edge of her bed, watching me with a remarkable intensity. It wasn’t just her eyes that were fascinating. It was the force of her personality burning in them that called to me.
    She put a hand out and I took it. Her skin was warm as she twined her tapered fingers with mine.
    “It bothers you to touch me?”
    I averted my eyes, not because I had to, but because it hurt too much to look at her. The memories sang through me, piercing my insides like sharp and invisible thorns. “It reminds me.”
    I could tell she was smiling when she said, “Of something that transpired a hundred and fifty years ago.”
    “I know.”
    “And yet”—she trailed her other hand down the side of my body—“it feels as if it were just yesterday.”
    It wasn’t unusual for Renata to tease me, but this time there was something different in it. She’d never actually touched me after sending me away. There were looks and words, but it was always so subtle. Other times that I’d been in her presence, there had always been someone with us, whether it was Dante or Dominique or an Elder.
    Now, we were alone. For the first time in over a century, it was just her and me.
    The realization unnerved me.
    “Renata,” I said trying to pull my hand away from hers.
    She didn’t like that. Her fingers dug roughly into my skin as her other arm hooked my back. She held me closer.
    “Renata,” I said again trying to move back while she barely even broke a sweat holding me captive. She was older and was my Siren, which meant she was stronger.
    “Stop,” I pleaded, vainly trying to wriggle free.
    She laughed. “Oh, you do play the captive well, Epiphany. I’d nearly forgotten how well.” She gave another fierce jerk and I lost my balance. My hands caught her shoulders as she pulled me down into her lap. I used the grip I had on her shoulders to try to hold myself away from her.
    She smiled brightly, her eyes lit with humor like the moon lending its light to the darkened sky.
    “Epiphany,” she said grabbing a handful of my gown and inching it upward.
    My heart was pounding. One of the side effects of being well fed was that my heart was about to beat its way out of my chest like some trapped and angry bird. That bird was currently hitting my ribcage. I gave up trying to hide the panic.
    Renata licked her pale lips, eyeing the tiny drum in my neck.
    Distantly, I heard the whimper that fell from my mouth. It sounded weak and pathetic, but I didn’t care…that look on her face.
    It had been so long since she’d looked at me like that, since I’d felt the line of her heat so close.
    I shut my eyes, digging nails in where my hands clutched her shoulders.
    Renata gave a little satisfied moan that ended with a laugh.
    “Surely”—I pushed on her shoulders—“this isn’t a part of your test.”
    “If it