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reminded her of the many times she’d visited her mother’s mausoleum. Anya had gone with her only once. All the other times, through years of visitation, Eleni had gone alone, and the marble corridors had been devoid of everything but the haunting sound of her own footfalls.
    The last time she’d gone to leave flowers for her mother, she’d been living with Rubio for about a year. She’d rarely known a moment’s peace in his house. The rooms there were always occupied, the halls ringing with the busy chatter of the other Acolytes in his harem. It had annoyed her at first, but after so many months, she’d grown used to having that noise around her.
    While facing her mother’s name engraved in stone, she’d stood in that bubble of absolute silence and realized that as much as she missed Ekaterina Audridov’s guidance, she didn’t belong there. The mausoleum was no place for the living. It was a place for ghosts.
    Chateau du Sévigné gave her much that same feeling.
    Avoiding the watchful eyes of St. Vincent, she entered the hallway beneath the second floor balcony, and was on her way to Julian’s office when one of the double doors opened. Surprised, Eleni stopped short. It must be Julian coming to look for her, she imagined, but to her surprise Gisele stepped out of the room carrying a glass of red wine.
    The scene struck Eleni like a bolt out of the past. She took a step back, but there was nowhere to go. It was too late to hide. Gisele shut the door softly, and as she turned her direction, their eyes met, and Gisele jumped slightly.
     “ Mon dieu !” Gisele’s hand fluttered in surprise. She laid it against her heart and laughed in relief. “Eleni, but you gave me a fright.”
    A slow heat crept into her face. “I have an appointment with Julian,” she said dully, unable to take her eyes off Gisele’s wine glass.
    “Never mind me.” Gisele took a sip of wine and as she passed Eleni in the hall. “Go on in. He should be ready to see you now.”
    The servant’s stiletto boot heels rang through the long corridor. Eleni hadn’t considered Julian might be in his office with someone else. Her confidence shaken, she watched Gisele walk away, her curls bouncing against her back, until she passed through the archway at the far end of the hall and veered off to the right in the direction of the kitchens.
    A strong sense of disappointment rose in her, and she struggled to tamp it down. If Gisele was Julian’s lover, it was no business of hers. But, at the same time, it bothered her. Although she didn’t know Julian well, one of the supposed benefits of living with him was that he didn’t keep a harem. It never occurred to her she might be placed in competition with someone on his serving staff. She had always thought such a thing was taboo.
    In spite of her mixed feelings, she went over to the door and knocked. She heard shuffling within the room, and a moment later, the door opened and Julian stood there in a black bathrobe, looking severe and disheveled. He raked his eyes over her from head to toe, then pushed the door wider to allow her entrance.
    “I wondered how long you would stand in my hallway.”
    “I saw Gisele,” she said as she brushed past him and glanced around the study. “I thought you might be…indisposed.”
    He shut the door and turned to her. “Gisele is a servant, and I respect that position.”
    Heat rose to her face. Despite the awkwardness of the conversation, she was relieved to hear it from Julian’s own mouth. Still, she had seen no evidence of a blood source. Who wouldn’t naturally assume that he might use someone young and pretty like Gisele to feed from?
    “Care to sit down?” He gestured toward a small seating area in front of the fireplace. She walked over to one of the chocolate leather wing chairs and sat down, the seat cool against the backs of her legs. Julian had gone to the wet bar in the corner and looked perfectly at ease—if a little distracted. He set