The Last of the Red-Hot Vampires

Oh, I beg to differ. A whole lot of good will come from it—it will do my spleen tremendous good to see her as filthy as I am.

"You are delaying us unnecessarily," Dame Margaret said, holding the handkerchief to her nose again. "I will make note of your attempts to deprecate this trial."

"Deprecate!" I stared Dame Margaret in the eye, my hands itching to grab her and toss her into the mud. It would only be fair, after all.

Sweetling…

I took a deep breath, choked on my own stench, and turned around, stumbling away with my head held high. Don't worry, I won't do it, no matter how much I'd give to see her as filthy as me.

"If you leave now, it will be so noted on the trial records," Dame Margaret yelled after me. "Do not expect another chance, for there will be none!"

I muttered profanity after profanity to myself as I fought my way up the grassy slope to the road.

"Does she know that if she fails this trial, it will all be over?" Tansy asked her companion.

"She knows," Dame Margaret trumpeted. "She is simply too cowardly to face us! Her attitude is reprehensible! She is not worthy of the virtue name!"

Damn the trial. Damn everything and everyone…except Theo.

One of the gulls crapped on me as it flew over my head.

Chapter 19

"I'm in so much trouble."

The hum of the air-conditioning in the car was the only noise.

"I wonder how much groveling it's going to take to get the mare to give me another shot at that trial?"

Outside the window, gulls cried overhead. I flinched as we passed the area where earlier we'd skidded off the road, averting my eyes from the sight of Theo's car, still half-buried in the mountain of oyster shells.

"I hope your car will be all right. When are they coming to tow it?"

"Soon."

I sighed, slinking down into my seat. Are you still mad at me?

I have not been mad at you, so there is no "still" to it.

Then why aren't you talking to me? You haven't said a word since we went back to the pub so I could take a shower and change. I know you have to be angry, or at least disappointed, that I've messed up the trial so much that I won't be a virtue, and won't be able to pardon you, but I really don't believe the situation is as hopeless as you no doubt think it is.

I don't think anything is hopeless, sweetling, nor am I in the least bit angry. I think you showed remarkable restraint in not acting rashly with Leticia. I know how much you wanted to treat her in kind.

"Can I ask a question?" Sarah leaned forward so she could be heard in the front seat of the car she'd rented for our trip, now serving as our primary mode of transportation while Theo's car was out of commission.

"Since I'm delighted to know you're still talking to me, by all means, ask away."

"I wasn't not talking to you, silly. I was taking notes on what happened. This is so incredibly fascinating!"

"I'm glad someone is getting enjoyment out of it. What was your question?"

"Why are we going to the Court if you're now out of the running as a virtue?"

A headache was building behind my forehead. I rubbed it, not for the first time, wishing I could rewind my life and start this section over. "Because I'm hoping that if I bring proof to the mare of what happened to Hope, they will excuse the last trial and give me another shot at it."

"Yes, but if you're no longer a virtue, how are you going to make with the fog?"

I glanced at Theo. His jaw was tight, his eyes a light grey that indicated he was not a happy camper. "Evidently, even though I failed the three trials, I am not de-virtued until someone strips the power from me."

"I hope so, otherwise you'll be in even hotter water than you are. So, we're just walking in the front door?"

"There is more than one entrance to the Court," Theo answered. "We will take the one nearest the library, so Portia's talents won't be overly taxed."